Polish tobacco farmers association see hidden threat in quota purchase

Polish tobacco farmers have been approached by Danish-led EU representatives with a proposal to sell, for a period of three years, their tobacco quotas. The proposed price is euro 3 per kilogram. The average tobacco crop in Poland is two tons per hectare, which would mean a farmer with a hectare under the crop would receive zl. 72,000, over three years if he agreed to the terms. The Tobacco Planters National Association of Lublin, and Krakow's Association of Tobacco Planters have decided to reject the proposal claiming that it might lead to the total liquidation of national tobacco plantations. The government however, declared an interest and is studying the offer in more detail. Tobacco plantations cover around 15,000 hectares and engage around 20,000 farms. The total harvest is estimated at 27,000 tons. During the EU negotiations, Poland has agreed to EU proposals to allow the farmers to produce up to almost 38,000 tons of tobacco annually. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B2) A.K.