Government promises farmers swine fever compensation
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
03.04.2014 10:14
Agriculture Minister Marek Sawicki has said that compensation for pig farmers affected by the African Swine Fever crisis is set to be paid from May onwards, as Russia plans to ban Polish meat exports.
Minister of Agriculture Marek Sawicki. Photo:Tomasz Gzell
“Everything indicates that we will be able to pay farmers compensation for pigs as of 2 May, because the necessary regulations are almost ready,” Sawicki said.
The compensation only pertains to pig farmers in the buffer zone near the Belarusian border, where many farmers have been selling livestock below market value, or not at all, since Russia banned imports of EU pork products in February.
Meanwhile the government has set in motion a programme of buying up unsold pigs within the buffer zone.
“The purchase of the pigs is going well,” Sawicki claimed, noting that the focus is on pigs that are already overweight.
About 45,000 pigs have been purchased so far, according to the minister.
Poland's meat industry was dealt a further blow yesterday with Russia moving towards a ban on all Polish processed meat products.
The EU has claimed from the outset of the ASF crisis that Russia's response has been “disproportionate”, with Health Commissioner Tonio Borg arguing that in all likelihood, the outbreak occurred in Belarus, and not within the EU.
Sawicki's predecessor Stanislaw Kalamba resigned in March over the crisis, giving the former a second chance in office, having already served as minister from 2007 to 2012. Both are members of junior coalition partner the Polish Peasants' Party. (nh)
Source: IAR