Netherlands pavilion at Polagra Premiery
Last week Polagra Premiery fair took place in Poznań. It’s the first biggest fair this year in Poland dedicated to latest solutions and agriculture machinery. Also companies united in the Dutch pavilion were present there.
Eight companies with innovations in agricultural technologies, crop cultivation and the dairy sector were present in Poznań to showcase these products. It was also the first fair to show our brand new NL logo!
Polish farmers - next generation
Next to the exhibition also lecture about the withdrawing several active ingredients used for many plant protection products on fields and in greenhouses. Farmers stressed the need of right variety of crop that will be able to survive more and more difficult weather and climate conditions.
During the fair several prices were given to many young Polish farmers who were the winners of many exchanges or competitions during the year. Open discussion after ceremony resulted in a new approach towards problems in agriculture in Poland. Moderators stressed the new way of thinking of the young generation of the Polish farmers who see climate changes rather as a challenge than as a threat.
Farmers see the need in adaptation of farming techniques to the changing weather conditions. They prefer biological methods of plant protection especially considering diminishing number of available pesticides, as several have been withdrawn lately by the European Commission.
They also stated that drilling of new wells for watering the crops will work only for a short period of time and will eventually take out the rest of the water from the ground which will never come back. Therefore they stressed the importance of good soil condition that-thanks to high level of organic matter in it- can keep water drops in the soil and lower the risk of drought on the field.
Ministers’s speech
During Polagra also newly appointed deputy Minister Kamiński from the Ministry of Agriculture had a speech. He noticed the farmers' problem related to the dates of applying fertilizers on the fields. He informed that Poland will apply to the European Commission for permission to accelerate the possibility of using organic fertilizers before 1 March 2020, due to the climatic conditions in Poland (no frost resulting in earlier start of vegetation of plants on fields).
He also noted the lack of stability of agricultural income. Due to changes in the purchase price of agricultural produce, he encouraged signing contracts for the delivery of a specific quantity of grain for a specific price before the season will start. This is also one of the priorities of this government.
He also addressed the problem of imports from third countries - he declared that only products manufactured in accordance with such standards as in the EU, including animal welfare or plant protection products, should be imported.
The deputy minister ended saying that due to climate change the future lies in high-quality production and precision farming.
LAN-WAR-own report AG/ AM