Compromise in agriculture policy

After long negotiations, the agriculture ministers have made a compromise concerning the modernization of the Common Agricultural Policy (WPR), which is currently meeting new challenges: rising food prices, climate change and globalization. "I'm satisfied, but very tired," said Marek Sawicki, Polish Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

For Poland, the most important achievement was negotiating €90 (zł.346) million in additional aid sources for three years, starting in 2010. The money will be used to support a number of agricultural sectors and for prolonging the subsidies for tender fruits.

Sawicki said that part of the negotiated sum will be devoted to the restructuring of the milk sector in Poland. Under the agreement, milk quotes are also going to increase about one percent in five years, starting in 2009, as a move to prepare the dairy sector before milk production quotas expire before 2015.