From Poland, Czech Republic to Greece, why are farmers protesting across Europe?

Farmers across Europe are protesting over a series of issues, including seeking measures against foreign competition and speedier compensation for damage from natural disasters, facing high production costs, constraints placed on them by European Union measures to tackle climate change, and what they say is unfair competition from abroad, particularly Ukraine, after the EU decided in 2022 to waive duties on Ukrainian food imports, news agency Reuters reported.

Demonstrations are taking place in countries such as France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Italy and Greece.

Protests in Poland emerged after the country experienced a plunge in prices owing to Ukrainian imports. Last month, its agriculture minister resigned from his position following the protests. This comes only a few months ahead of European elections in which the far right – for whom farmers represent a growing constituency – are seeking to make gains. Czech farmers too have driven their tractors into downtown Prague, disrupting traffic outside the farm ministry, according to Reuters.

Greek farmers on a tractor take part in a protest over rising energy costs and competition from imports, in front of the parliament building in Athens, Greece, February 20, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

In Greece, on the other hand, farmers drove tractors to the Parliament demanding tax-free fuel, debt forgiveness, as well as criticising the substantial markup in shelf prices compared to what wholesalers pay them for their produce. “Without us, you don’t eat,” one banner stated as farmers shifted their protest to Athens. Some of them also carried mock coffins and funeral garlands as symbols of their plight, Reuters report said.

Why are farmers protesting in Poland?

Polish farmers are protesting against the reduction in prices owing to Ukrainian imports. They are also saying that the imports do not meet environmental standards imposed on EU farmers. Multiple videos of Polish farmers at the Medyka border pouring grains from railway carriages onto the tracks surfaced online on Tuesday. One of the banners placed on tractors, blaring horns, stated, “With grain flowing from Ukraine, Polish farmers will go bankrupt”.

The farmers, who are complaining of unfair competition, also blocked the border with Ukraine, triggering anger in the neighbouring country. The protests marked an escalation from previous show of demonstrations, as they closed all border crossings, causing disruptions at ports and roads in the country, the news agency reported.

‼️ It’s happening in Poland ‼️#FarmersProtest2024 #IGF #FDF pic.twitter.com/fNw3ZxmmEM

— Farmers Defence Force (@FDF_Nederland) February 15, 2024

Warsaw, the capital of Poland, has demonstrated its support to Kyiv in its fight to repel the Russian invasion since it began in 2022, however, the latest protests by farmers have led to strained ties since truckers blocked all border crossings just towards the end of the year in 2023.

Polish farmers drive their tractors during a protest. (Photo: Reuters)

The demands of the farmers echo those of other farmers in parts of Europe, which lamented the regulations imposed by the European Union and imports, making it hard for the farmers to earn a living.

According to a New York Times report, the protests followed the decision of the European Union to suspend tariffs and quotas on Ukrainian food products to carry food by rail and truck through neighbouring countries such as Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. However, some Ukrainian grain also reached the local markets in these countries, creating tensions within local farmers who claimed the influx was pushing down prices.

How has Ukraine responded to the protests in Poland?

The demonstrations by Polish farmers have resulted in Ukraine launching a counter-protest at three crossings, Reuters report stated, which will last till March 15. Ukrainian trucks at the border were seen bearing banners with slogans such as “Ukraine loses – Poland loses,” and “The blockade of Ukraine is a betrayal of European values,” images circulating through media outlets showed.

Kyiv stands firm to its words, asserting that agricultural exports through Eastern Europe have not damaged EU markets. Ukraine continued its demonstrations alleging that the blockades are affecting its defence capabilities and fulfilling Russia’s aims.

Greek farmers gather outside the parliament building with their tractors. (Photo: Reuters)

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksander Kubrakov shared on X (formerly Twitter), “The scattering of Ukrainian grain on the railroad tracks is another political provocation aimed at dividing our nations.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the situation at the border demonstrated “the erosion of solidarity on a daily basis”. He said the protests were about politics, not grain, because “only 5% of our agricultural exports pass through the Polish border”, BBC reported.

Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said Kyiv has informed the European Commission of the actions of Polish protesters at the Ukrainian border and expected a robust response. Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskyi said the grain was headed to Germany and would not have entered the Polish market.

What is Polish authority’s stand on the protests?

Polish President Andrzej Duda, speaking to Ukrainian Radio and the Suspilne broadcaster, said that the Polish government is negotiating with the farmers and trade unions and that he hopes the issue will be resolved through talks, the Reuters report said.

“We are trying to solve this problem,” Duda said, according to a transcript published on Tuesday on his presidential website. “This is a certain conflict of interests between farmers and producers of agricultural products in Ukraine – farmers who fear for their existence.”

Meanwhile, Poland’s new pro-European government has stood in support of the farmers’ demands, and is trying to balance it with its strongly pro-Ukrainian stance.

Polish farmers drive their tractors during a protest. (Photo: Reuters)

Deputy Agriculture Minister Michal Kolodziejczak, speaking to private broadcaster Polsat News, said that talks with Ukraine on limiting imports would continue on Wednesday. “Today the ball is in Ukraine’s court,” he said. “Either they want to come to an agreement with us, or we will have to introduce further restrictions.”

‘Without us, you don’t eat’: What is happening in Greece?

Greek farmers too are expressing their anger at high production costs and the substantial markup in shelf prices compared to what wholesalers paid them for their produce, shifting their protest to Athens, news agency AP reported.

‘Without us, you don’t eat,’ said one of the banners placed atop bright-colored tractors parked outside Greece’s Parliament on Tuesday. Some farmers planned to stay outside the Parliament all night and leave with their tractors on Wednesday.

The farmers have spent weeks staging sporadic blockades along highways and in rural towns. Continuing to face loss due to floods in 2023m farmers have demanded higher subsidies and faster compensation for crop damage and livestock lost in the floods. The farmers also seek tax on diesel to be reduced.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in a television interview on Monday said that he could not support additional tax breaks and concessions but wanted to continue the discussions with protesters, AP reported.

Greek farmers, with their tractors. (Photo: Reuters)

While the centre-right government in Greece has expressed their sympathy with farmers, it said that the budgetary constraints have prevented it from meeting all of the farmers’ demands.

So far, the government has been able to substantially reduce electricity cost. The farmers have demanded tax-free fuel, debt forgiveness, measures against foreign competition and speedier compensation for damage from natural disasters, among other things.

Who else is supporting Greek farmers?

In a show of solidarity, hundreds of students joined the protesting farmers against the government plans to end the state monopoly on university education.

The government, according to news agency AP, took back a previous threat to block Tuesday’s protest. Police were deployed to help divert highway traffic, and much of central Athens was blocked to motorists and public transport.

Protests in other parts of European Union

In Czech Republic too, farmers are protesting against bureaucracy and the new EU subsidy rules, entailing requirement to leave 4% of farmland fallow, which means not using it for a period of time.

In Germany and France, the EU’s biggest agricultural producers, farmers are demonstrating against plans to end subsidies or tax breaks on agricultural diesel, news agency Reuters reported.

Producers in France said that a government drive to bring down food inflation has left them unable to cover high costs for energy, fertiliser and transport, the report stated.

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