The ceremony was attended by the Vice-Marshal of the Polish Sejm Marek Kuchcinski, the Podkarpackie Voivodship was also represented by Mr. Wladyslaw Ortyl.

Poland needs balanced development, such development is missing in our country - said President Andrzej Duda on Sunday during the Presidential Harvest Festival in Spala. He estimated that there is a need for better legal regulations, including those concerning agricultural insurance.

- We want young people to live in the countryside, we want farms - especially family farms, which we care about the most - to pass from father to son, the country should develop in a fair way and there should be an equal distribution of wealth in the country," said the President.

He assessed that last year was difficult for agriculture. - Drought, embargo, African swine fever. (...) I must say that among the general joy of the harvest festival, today I also heard some sad and painful words about the policy towards agriculture - he noted.

Andrzej Duda referred to the words of John Paul II, who said that it is necessary to lead the Polish agriculture to a state in which it will not struggle to survive. - For that to happen it needs a comprehensive help from the state. Polish agriculture is still struggling with many threats; both natural ones, such as droughts, floods, hurricanes and those of political nature - he added.

According to the President, the country does not care enough about farmers' affairs. In his opinion, the State could take better care of the insurance system for farmers - so that it guarantees peaceful agricultural production. - Other countries can do it and farmers can produce peacefully, even when there is a difficult year and disasters. They can calmly think about the next year because they know they will have money to plant crops next year," he noted.

Andrzej Duda expressed hope that in the nearest future legislative solutions will be worked on which will enable efficient and fair system of damage assessment and adequate compensations for farmers paid directly to them. - As the President of the Republic of Poland, I would like to actively engage in it together with the experts - he assured.

The Minister of Agriculture, Marek Sawicki, before the president's speech, spoke about the farmers' demand to equalize subsidies with other EU countries: "The question is whether we should equalize with Malta and Cyprus, which have high subsidies but have poor agriculture, or with Great Britain, Spain and Portugal, where surcharges are lower. This year, Polish farmers will receive subsidies at the average European level, and those who breed cattle, grow high-protein crops, potatoes and beets, have a chance for higher subsidies, he said.

Referring to the words of the Minister of Agriculture Marek Sawicki, Andrzej Duda said: "Mr. Minister, of course, you should not compare to lower subsidies, but to higher ones, because many Polish farmers, when they hear about what is abroad, feel discriminated against as EU citizens. We have to fight hard for this, because farmers hold us, elected in general elections, accountable for this. I would like this assessment to be absolute, because politicians deserve such an assessment. He added that currently Poland badly needs sustainable development. -I have recently visited almost the whole of Poland and I know how much this sustainable development is lacking in our country, how there are no good roads, how there are no well-equipped beautiful schools where rural children could learn, how there is a lack of everything that this central administration could take care of because local governments work hard, but they don't always have a way if the conditions are not created for them up there - said Andrzej Duda.

As he said, the issue of rural development is also access to broadband Internet. - Sometimes it is not enough to provide it using EU funds, but to distribute it in such a way that people can use it. Success will be when it appears in every household and the young will be able to use it, and through modernity, good communication and infrastructure they will feel that they can exercise their constitutional right to choose their place of residence - the President stressed.

Andrzej Duda expressed the hope that EU funds and the implementation of a good agricultural policy will support the Polish countryside, which "needs equality and justice in the distribution of goods."

- There are state-owned companies in Poland, such as Elewar, which could support farmers much better. Grain policy could be implemented better to ensure greater price stability, he said.

He also mentioned the bad situation of farmers who have invested in dairy farms. - Although only 11% of farms benefited from the EU funds in the last years, they are now in crisis because they not only have to pay fines, but also milk prices are falling. And there is no adequate aid for them, even at the time of drought, when feed prices have risen. We have to fight on the EU forum for the farmers who produced milk to be exempted from penalties - he appealed.

The President emphasized the importance of the law signed at the beginning of his presidency, which aims to protect the Polish land. In his opinion it is not perfect yet. - I would like us to aim at such solutions that will guarantee that the Polish land will remain in the hands of the Polish farmer - a true farmer who loves this land; it will not be an object of speculation of big business," he explained.

Andrzej Duda positively assessed the activities of UOKiK, which protects farmers against price collusion. He appealed to politicians not to leave farmers "with the feeling of abandonment by the Polish state and authorities."

- The security of the country is also food security, it is also to make those who produce food feel comfortable, it is the duty of the president and the authorities to take care of that every day. We will do everything so that they can sell their products directly, so that Polish processing is strengthened, so that farmers are treated fairly by those who earn on what they produce. We want it to be an honest income, not exploitation," he noted.

Thank you very much that I can be the host of this Presidential Harvest Festival together with my wife - said Andrzej Duda to the gathered at the ceremony in Spala. It is a great honor for me to host here in Spala Polish farmers - people who work hard every day, often unsteady because of the natural and political conditions - he added. He also thanked the present inhabitants.

- Our presence here together is an expression of solidarity. This solidarity is very much needed today. It is solidarity through mutual understanding and attention to mutual interests that builds community," stressed the President.

The president pointed out that community is also built through the veneration of tradition. He thanked President Ignacy Moscicki and all the presidents who continued the tradition of the Harvest Festival. The tradition of celebrating the end of harvest in Spala dates back to 1927.

The Presidential Harvest Festival started on Sunday with the Holy Mass with the participation of the Presidential Couple celebrated in the Home Army Field Chapel in Spala. Earlier President Andrzej Duda and his wife laid flowers at the stone commemorating the athlete and Olympic champion Kamila Skolimowska.

After the service for the intention of farmers by Archbishop Władysław Ziolok, harvest wreaths were blessed. The Presidential Couple together with the harvest procession went to the stadium of the Central Sports Centre, where the harvest ceremony was held.

The presidential couple's visit ended with a visit to the City of Regions set up at the COS stadium, where each of the 16 provinces presented their customs, regional specialties and culture.
On Saturday, the day before, the First Lady of the Republic of Poland took part in the presentation of groups from all over the country participating in the competition for the most beautiful and impressive harvest wreath. At the COS stadium she visited the Traditional Products Fair and Folk Artists' Alley. (PAP, own information)

Source: http://www.prezydent.pl/