Not only Polish farmers are worried about their livelihood if Poland enters the EU under the farm aid terms offered by Brussels, but hundreds of European farmers leasing land here as well.
With land scarce and expensive in their countries, hundreds of farmers from Germany, Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, France and Belgium have struck out for Poland where land is relatively cheap and plentiful.
And they are among the strongest supporters of the Polish government to hold out for a better aid deal from the EU.
"I dread the future," confided Frenchman Hubert Bricout, 29, who has farmed since 1997 some 1,200 hectares rented from a former state farm outside this northwestern Polish town near the mouth of the Oder river.
He's married a Polish woman, and like most of the Europeans who have begun to farm here, learned Polish fluently.
"I'm unhappy with what they've offered us ... Before it reaches 100 percent we will suffer," he sighed while driving his old jeep across the countryside.
The European Commission's proposal on direct subsidies, which would rise to 100 percent over 10 years, has sparked anger and dismay in the 10 candidate countries who hope to wrap up negotiations this year and enter in 2004. Brussels has argued the scheme will keep incomes from rising too fast and provide a stimulus to restructure and boost efficiency, but farmers in candidate countries fear it will deprive them of income to fund improvements.
"Compared to what I earn today on wheat with subsidies from the Polish government, I would lose about 700 zlotys [US$173 dollars) per hectare (US$70 dollars per acre]," said Bricout.
Also worrying for him is the proposed reference yield per hectare upon which subsidies will be paid. While it is set near average current yields in Poland, which are some half of the EU level, fixing it at this level penalizes farmers who boost productivity.
"For us it is a net loss," he said, having in five years quadrupled the turnover of his farm.
He is not alone in his assessment of the situation.
"The EU is offering Poland a considerable sum of money, one has to admit that," said Adrian, a 32-year-old Swiss farmer growing wheat and sugar beets on nearly 4,000 hectares near Pyrzyce. "But for me, I'd lose a million zlotys [US$248,000] of turnover per year," he stated.
"I am a little bit afraid that the Polish government will agree to the offer," said Andre van Wijgerden, 31, who has farmed 1,500 hectares near the northwestern Polish town of Pezino since leaving the Netherlands nine years ago.
With his Dutch wife and four children he specializes in growing high quality potatoes.
"Holland is a small country where there is little land and it is very expensive," he said explaining his reasons for leaving home.
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