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Polish farmers protest fertilizer subsidy methodology
Polish farmers are facing significant controversy regarding the methodology used to calculate reference prices for fertilizer subsidies. The National Council of Agricultural Chambers (KRIR) and the Bottom-up National Protest of Farmers have expressed strong opposition, arguing that the Ministry of Agriculture used quarterly data from late 2025 rather than annual averages, which results in much lower financial support for farms.
In response to the criticism, the Ministry of Agriculture has announced it will re-verify the calculations. Meanwhile, the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture (ARiMR) has opened application windows for extraordinary support. This includes compensation for increased costs of mineral fertilizers and diesel fuel caused by the Middle East crisis, with applications running from October 1 to October 23, 2026.
Additionally, a higher euro exchange rate announced by the European Central Bank (4.3690 PLN) is expected to increase the final amounts of direct payments for 2026 compared to previous estimates. Other available support includes grants for investments improving the welfare of cattle and pigs, with applications open from October 7 to November 6, 2026.
Entities
Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture · European Central Bank · Ministry of Agriculture · Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development · National Council of Agricultural Chambers · Stefan Krajewski
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The 2025 subsidy exchange rate was 4.2698 PLN per euro. www.topagrar.pl
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Redistributive payments are estimated at 187.04 PLN/ha instead of 179.12 PLN/ha. www.topagrar.pl
- [● 2 SOURCES] The euro exchange rate for 2026 agricultural subsidies is 4.369 PLN. www.topagrar.pl
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Ministry of Agriculture previously used an estimated rate of 4.3135 PLN per euro for calculations. www.topagrar.pl