During the meetings, Minister Siekierski was accompanied by the Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Bogusław Wijatyk.

Discussions with the Moldovan Minister of Agriculture

During the meeting of the Polish Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Czesław Siekierski with the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry of Moldova, Vladimir Bolea, the Polish party expressed its hope for development of bilateral trading in agri-food products between Poland and Moldova.

The Polish delegation informed that the Polish agri-food sector companies are interested in the Moldovan market, while the agri-food sector entrepreneurs – among others from the fruit and vegetables sector – are willing to seek trading partners in Moldova.

According to data for 10 months of 2023, the Polish agricultural export to Moldova amounted to EU 58.9 million.

Discussions with the Ukrainian Minister of Agriculture

The meeting was arranged on request of the Ukrainian party. The Polish Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Czesław Siekierski and the Ukrainian Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food Mykoła Solski have continued the discussions commenced on 22 December 2023. The ministers re-opened the issue of import of the Ukrainian agricultural products to Poland and simplification of the control procedures for the agricultural products in transit through the territory of Poland.

– We want to come up with the solution acceptable to all parties, which is extremely difficult – said Minister Czesław Siekierski.

The Head of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture added that Poland is a major exporter of wheat, maize, sugar, poultry or soft fruits. He stressed that their production constitutes the source of income of several hundred thousand of predominantly small agricultural holdings.

Between January and October 2023, the Polish agricultural export onto the Ukrainian market increased by 11 percent compared to the same period in 2022 (from EUR 785 to 875.1 million). The main exported products included animal feeding products, cheeses and cottage cheeses as well as chocolate and cocoa products, food preparations, bread and coffee.

Between January and October 2023, the agricultural import from Ukraine to Poland dropped by 32 percent compared to the same period in 2022 (from EUR 2 095.1 to 1 432.4 million). The imported product of the highest value was sunflower oil, followed by soya oil, oil cakes, maize, soya oil cakes and wheat.

Discussions with the Minister of Agriculture of Czech Republic

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Czesław Siekierski together with the Minister of Agriculture of Czech Republic Marek Výborný discussed the presence of the Ukrainian agri-food products on the EU markets.

Minister Siekierski noted that the export of agricultural products from Ukraine to the EU has been mostly targeted onto the Polish market. The Polish Minister presented also the key postulates of Poland concerning the existing and future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

The parties jointly declared that the new solutions on the principles of the agri-food trading with Ukraine should be thoroughly analysed before their implementation and agreed to discuss this issue at the next session of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH) in Brussels.

Discussions with the German Minister of Agriculture

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Czesław Siekierski was the guest of the German Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir – the discussion was held at the German national stand.

– Poland was the first country which supported Ukraine after the outbreak of war. We appreciate this. We stand for supporting Ukraine. We pursue for developing the rules of this support, which will not jeopardise the EU agricultural markets. Our aim is also to establish closer cooperation with Poland to find such solutions – said the German Minister.

Minister Siekierski emphasized that the Weimar Triangle may act as a good platform for development of such solutions.

– I would like the activities of this group to intensify – said the Head of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture.

According to preliminary data, the Polish export of agri-food products to Germany in the period between January and October 2023 amounted to EUR 11.1 billion and was higher by 13 percent compared to the previous year. The key products exported to the Federal Republic of Germany include primarily the cigars, cigarillos and cigarettes, dried, pickled and smoked fish, poultry meat and offal as well as bread and pastry.

The import increased by slightly more than 6% up to EUR 5.3 billion. Poland exports from Germany mostly the animal feeding products, chocolate and cocoa preparations as well as pork meat and coffee.

Discussions with the Lithuanian Minister of Agriculture

The meeting between the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Czesław Siekierski and the Lithuanian Minister of Agriculture Kęstutis Navickas was held on the initiative of the Lithuanian party. The Ministers discussed the issue of excessive import of agricultural products from Ukraine.

The Lithuanian Minister emphasized the need of close cooperation between the countries directly bordering Ukraine. According to Minister Siekierski, the states in our part of Europe are more aware of the threats posed by Russia and at the same time they must promote the interests of their farmers in order to ensure food security in the country.

Discussions with the Uzbek Minister of Agriculture

The meeting was initiated on request of the Uzbek party. The Polish Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Czesław Siekierski discussed with the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov the opportunities to find the solutions for the veterinary issues and to enhance cooperation between both parties.

The Polish delegation noted that development of mutual relations between Poland and Uzbekistan and enjoying mutual benefits requires the elimination of barriers. The Polish party re-issued its request to the Uzbek party to enter all entrepreneurs included by the Polish party in the list sent in April 2021 into the Register of Establishments.

The Uzbek party expressed its interest in the Polish products of animal origin, in particular in meat and fish. Apart from the fact that Uzbekistan has no direct access to sea, the state supplies fish to the students under the dedicated programme.

The delegations agreed that the competent departments from the Ministries of Agriculture of both states will contact each other to establish a working group to eliminate the barriers and improve trade between Poland and Uzbekistan.

According to the preliminary data, between January and October 2023, the value of agri-food export from Poland to Uzbekistan amounted to approx. EU 54.5 million (increase by 85.4 percent compared to the same period in 2022). Similarly as in the previous years, the Polish export to Uzbekistan consisted primarily of meat and edible meat offal. The other exported products included also chocolate and other cocoa preparations, potatoes and other processed, pickled and frozen vegetables as well as animal food.

In the same period, the value of Polish import to Uzbekistan amounted to EUR 4.38 million, which translates into an increase by 31.6 percent compared to the same period in 2022. Poland imported mostly: onion, fresh or dried grapes and other dried fruits.