Polish Agriculture Ministry pushes farmer subsidy reforms and warns against alcohol excise hike

Minister of Agriculture Stefan Krajewski said that the use of the KSeF electronic invoicing system and improved data exchange between agencies could help verify who is actively engaged in farming. He estimated that 400,000‑500,000 people qualify as “active farmers,” and argued that a draft law on active farmers would clarify eligibility for subsidies and ensure support reaches those who truly run agricultural enterprises.

The ministry also issued a formal objection to the Finance Ministry’s plan to raise excise duties on alcoholic beverages by about 15‑20% for 2027. It warned that higher taxes would raise retail prices, cut legal alcohol consumption, and reduce demand for farm raw materials such as cereals, potatoes, hops and fruit. The ministry warned this could damage the supply chain, lower budget revenues and create a crisis for Poland’s alcohol‑related industries.