The annual meeting of the representatives of the Polish administration responsible for agriculture with the representatives of foreign diplomatic missions was organised in cooperation with the National Support Centre for Agriculture. The 19^th-century walls of the Legions Fort hosted the heads of missions accredited in Poland, dealing with the agricultural and commercial matters, as well as the representatives of sectoral organisations, bilateral chambers of commerce and the units subordinated to the MARD and supervised by it.

“We cooperate on a daily basis, sharing our experiences and information, taking efforts to strengthen the relations among or countries with benefits for our economies and in the interest of our famers. I would like to express my whole-hearted gratitude to you for this good cooperation,” Deputy Prime Minister Henryk Kowalczyk said, welcoming the foreign guests.

Polish agriculture in the face of challenges

The head of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture pointed out that this time the meeting was held in a difficult and troubled time when the war raged across our eastern border.

“We are experiencing an economic crisis and a substantial increase in the production costs and food prices. In these conditions, safeguarding food security and stability of supply chains has taken on crucial importance,” the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development stressed.

Polish exports of agri-food products

The head of the Ministry of Agriculture emphasised that, despite the present challenges, in 2021 the value of Polish exports of agri-food products grew by almost 10%, to reach a value of EUR 37.4 billion.

“We take efforts to ensure that Polish products are synonymous with the highest quality and the highest safety standards. Due to its continuous technical, technological and organisational development, Poland has joined the top group of advanced and innovative European food producers," Deputy Prime Minister Henryk Kowalczyk noted.

The activities taken by the Ministry for Polish agriculture

The head of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture pointed out that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development took a number of actions to strengthen and develop Polish agriculture and Polish rural areas at the time when growing prices of energy and fertilisers translated into higher costs of agricultural production and, in consequence, into higher food prices.

Polish CAP Strategic Plan

Deputy Prime Minister Henryk Kowalczyk also recalled that next year the reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) would enter into force and that its implementation would require the Member States to prepare their Strategic Plans, to be approved by the European Commission. At the same time, he added that the CAP Strategic Plan for 2023–2027 prepared by Poland – and approved by the EC – would be an additional element of stability for farms, regardless of the international situation.

Inviting the diplomats to taste Polish specialties, Deputy Prime Minister Henryk Kowalczyk encouraged the foreign guests to become the ambassadors of Polish tastes and the Polish cuisine in the counties from which they came.