Polish farmers stand to lose out after beef scandal: report
PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk
05.02.2019 17:13
Polish farmers could lose out to the tune of PLN 600 million (EUR 140 million) as confidence in the country’s meat producers has been dented by an illegal slaughter scandal, according to the Rzeczpospolita daily.
Photo: Narodowy Bank Polski/Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Polish private broadcaster TVN recently reported that a plant in east-central Poland had processed meat from sick cows and animals that were dead before slaughter.
The Polish authorities have said the slaughterhouse has been closed down, and Polish Agriculture Minister Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski has warned that offenders should expect “no leniency”.
Rzeczpospolita reported that 14 European Union countries as well as Israel and Turkey have received meat from the slaughterhouse.
The paper added that the price of beef in Poland has fallen as a result of the scandal.
The European Commission on Monday sent experts on a five-day visit to Poland to probe slaughter practices.
Ardanowski has admitted that illegal practices dented confidence in Poland’s food producers, adding that police were investigating.
Ardanowski added that, in agreement with the European Commission, Poland wanted to bring in legal changes.
(tf/pk)