Poland Warns EU Membership for Ukraine Could Devastate Small-Scale Farmers

Why Protecting Small Farmers Is Crucial as Ukraine Moves Toward EU Accession

According to Главком: During the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC-2026) held in Gdańsk, Agnieszka Maliszewska, Director General of the Polish Chamber of Milk, stressed the need for regulations that safeguard small farmers in both Ukraine and the European Union throughout Ukraine’s accession process. She pointed out that Poland itself lost a large number of small farms upon joining the EU, as they failed to meet the bloc's new standards and requirements.

Maliszewska emphasized that Ukraine should learn from this experience to prevent similar outcomes.

“We need rules that won’t allow small farmers-whether Ukrainian or Polish-to be wiped out. When Poland joined the EU, we lost many small farms and small processing enterprises that couldn’t cope with the burden of new standards and demands,” – Agnieszka Maliszewska.

Structural Differences and New Pressures on Ukraine’s Agriculture

It’s important to note that the agricultural sectors in Ukraine and Poland are structured quite differently. Poland’s farming landscape is dominated by small and medium-sized farms, whereas Ukraine’s production relies heavily on large agro-holdings. This disparity creates additional hurdles for Ukrainian farmers as they integrate into the European market, especially given the surge in imports of certain Ukrainian agricultural goods into the EU after 2023.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki also voiced concerns that Ukraine’s EU membership could spell trouble for Poland’s farming sector. In February 2024, Polish farmers demonstrated their frustration by spilling Ukrainian grain at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk border crossing. The Ukrainian Ministry of Agrarian Policy condemned the destruction of the grain.

Ukraine’s path to EU membership must be accompanied by rules that protect small-scale farmers both within Ukraine and across the EU, particularly in Poland. The integration process should take Poland’s own experience into account to avoid repeating similar scenarios on either side of the border. Future EU enlargement should be grounded in transparent regulations, statistical evidence, and factual analysis.

This situation highlights the importance of tailoring common policies to the unique characteristics of each country’s agricultural sector. Ukraine must prepare thoroughly for integration into the European market to avoid the negative impacts Poland experienced during its own EU accession. Establishing protective mechanisms for small farmers will be essential to ensuring a smooth adaptation of Ukraine’s agricultural sector to the new environment.

As the discussions around Ukraine's EU integration intensify, parallels can be drawn to the recent tensions between Poland and Ukraine over various issues. For instance, business leaders in Poland have called for an end to public disputes to foster a more cooperative environment, which is crucial for both nations' agricultural sectors facing significant changes. Understanding these dynamics is essential for grasping the broader implications of Ukraine's EU accession.