European support measures for Polish farmers – who suffer from Ukrainian food imports – come too late. This is what Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said today, as reported by Reuters. Earlier in the day, the Polish parliament approved a PLN 10 billion ($2.4 billion) support package for Poland’s agricultural sector.

Central European countries are doing their best to reach an agreement with Brussels on European measures to support the agricultural sector after some member states unilaterally banned imports of Ukrainian food products. Morawiecki said: “What the European Union offers us with a delay comes too late.” “It’s just a drop in the ocean.”

Read also | Eastern Europe is not yet satisfied with Brussels’ proposal on Ukrainian products

Poland is one of the few European countries that is a transit route for Ukrainian grain, due to the Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea. The Russian invasion of Ukraine created bottlenecks, causing Ukrainian grain to accumulate in neighboring countries. As a result, domestic farmers suddenly had to compete with an influx of cheap Ukrainian imports.

100 million euros

Therefore, the European Commission has offered a €100m support package for European farmers, an amount on top of the previously promised €56m support. In addition, the European Commission wants to introduce “emergency preventive measures” for maize, sunflower seeds and rapeseed, although Central European countries consider this list to be too small. They also want to see honey and certain types of meat on that list.

Read also | The struggle for Ukrainian grain: Brussels is not the bogeyman

Today, the Polish government has passed a law allowing farmers to recoup a larger portion of the fuel tax levy, but at the same time asking the European Commission for more fiscal space. In addition, the Polish government wants to provide farmers with a subsidy, guaranteeing them 1,400 zlotys per ton of wheat.