The EU Commission has today (Thursday, July 27) approved a support scheme worth €113 million for Polish pig farmers.
The scheme aims to support the country’s pig production sector against the backdrop of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
It was approved under the state aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework, adopted by the commission on March 9, 2023, to support measures in sectors which are key to accelerate the green transition and reduce fuel dependencies.
Scheme
Under the Polish scheme, there will be limited amounts of aid in the form of direct grants to pig farmers.
The measure seeks to support small and medium-sized companies active in the pig production sector that are currently facing liquidity shortages due to the cost increase of energy, fuel and other raw materials, and to ensure food security.
The EU Commission found that the scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework.
This includes that the grants will not exceed €250,000 per beneficiary and will be paid no later than December 31, 2023.
The commission concluded that the scheme is “necessary, appropriate and proportionate to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy of a member state”.
Latest data shows that the number of pigs in Poland stood at 9.62 million head in December 2022, a decrease of 6% compared to the same period last year.
The number of breeding sows declined by 9.5% to 592,000.