Poland seeking protection for farmers in negotiations with New Zealand 

Agriculture minister Krzysztof Jurgiel has said that Poland wants to secure the interests of farmers, and especially dairy producers, in talks on a free trade agreement between the EU and New Zealand. On the impact of the EU free trade agreements on the agricultural sector was under discussion at Monday's meeting of agriculture ministers of the EU countries at the request of France. Before Monday's meeting, Poland sent a letter to the EU Council in which it highlighted the negative consequences of a future free trade agreement between the EU and New Zealand – especially for dairy producers. Poland stressed that there are 12,000 dairy processing plants in the EU and dairy sector consists mainly of small and medium-sized enterprises that could be hit by the deal. Imports from New Zealand to Poland have been increasing very dynamically in recent years. Data from the Ministry of Development showed that in 2015, compared with the previous year, imports increased by 120 percent.