A third instalment of aid for Polish fruit and vegetable growers could be on the cards, following a government amendment to a regulation that will open up additional EU support for those affected by the Russian ban. 

On Tuesday (Feb. 10) the Polish Ministry of Agriculture held a meeting to discuss the withdrawal of products from the market, including 155,700 metric tons (MT) of apples and pears and 18,650MT of tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers and carrots.

MoA officials have prepared new regulations that allow farmers to apply for official withdrawal from these categories and instead re-direct the produce to charitable free distribution, animal feed and/or to be used for biogas combustion.

Individual producers and fruit and vegetable producer organizations have until the end of June, 2015 to apply. However, the total number of products eligible for support for one producer cannot exceed 500 tons or 10,000 tons for producer groups.

The MoA also says that discontinued fruit and vegetables intended for free distribution or other purposes must be of commercial quality, and all applications will be considered by the country’s Agricultural Market Agency (AMA).

Applicants need to detail the number of plots subject to cultivation when making their bid.

The MoA is expecting a wave of applications in the coming weeks, particularly from the apple and pear sector, which continues to suffer as a result of the Russian ban.

There is a general apple glut in the European market and Polish producers of the fruit are being urged to apply for withdrawal even if they have previously been compensated by the emergency measures announced by the European Commission last year.

Meanwhile, Poland’s agricultural sector has been facing more unrest recently with several protests across some of the country’s motorways and roads.

Angry farmers have been blocking key transport channels with tractors in demonstration about the government’s lack of action and support on a raft of agricultural matters.

Members of several trade unions, including All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions and the International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside (ICPPC) have been organizing the blockades.

See our full interview with the ICPPC, which explains some of the demands being made by Polish farmers.

www.freshfruitportal.com