The farmers organized a protest march, demanding, among other things, to establish export of agricultural products to Europe and to Russia. On May 23, Polish producers of potatoes and vegetables took to the streets in Warsaw after the government failed to comply with its requirements after two months of negotiations.
The Union of Potato and Vegetable Producers (Unia Warzywno Ziemniaczana) called on farmers to rally, expecting the participation of about 2000 farmers. Prior to this, the Union sent a letter to Prime Minister Mateusz Moravecki with 23 points that they would like to draw attention to, including: Polish goods should always be in front of the supermarket shelves, the country should close its borders with Ukraine and establish exports to Russia and Europe.
However, maybe one of the problems of Polish farmers is that local potato producers became victims of the modernization of their production without modernizing their business practices? The average potato yield in Poland is growing every year, farmers are using more and more modern professional equipment, using the latest agricultural practices and new varieties, and the demand for potatoes, nevertheless, is decreasing. Although during the year in the country on the shelves it is precisely the Polish potatoes that make up about 80% of the supply.
“Producers complain about imports from other countries, but this usually happens towards the end of the season, when quality problems mean that most of the Polish potatoes left in stock are not suitable for retail, so we have to import from countries like Germany and France. - Expert Lukash Ostrovich comments on the situation. "If growers want to eliminate imports, they need to invest in improved long-term storage so they have enough quality potatoes to meet year-round demand."
“There are many factors that have led to the current situation, and I think we must not forget that not only Polish potatoes and vegetables are going through a difficult year, it also happens in all major European producing countries such as the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands. , France and Germany, ”Lukasz said. 24.05.2018.
(A source: I www.freshplaza.co).