The head of the Journalism Faculty at BSU, Alexey Belyaev, shared his interpretation of the reasons for the European farmers’ protests on the air of Alfa Radio on February 20.
“We see that in general, the European Union today has decided to refuse support to all its farmers: rejecting subsidies and refusing to provide cheap fuel. In the context of rising prices for everything, rising farm costs, while there is a complete absence of any direct support from the state. Of course, these farmers are losing outright against the backdrop of cheap agricultural products and food products, which are supplied not only from Ukraine,” he said.
In fact, the EU has planned to provide farmers with income support for a total amount of about €40 billion per year for 2023—2027. Farmers directly receive at least €200 assistance for every hectare of cultivated land.
The EU also pays extra to beginning farmers who adhere to organic farming schemes or cultivate cotton or other crops important to the EU. In addition, the EU funds the rural development of particular agricultural regions. In total, European agriculture would receive €260 billion in support by 2027.
For comparison, Belarus financed its agricultural sector for about $1 billion in 2023. Manufacturers received only a quarter of this amount in subsidies.
