The Ministry of Agriculture announced on April 4 this year. a draft act on the refund of part of the agricultural tax for 2024 for consultation. The proposed regulations were to be a response to one of the demands of farmers protesting at the beginning of this year, who demanded a reduction of the agricultural tax for 2024 to the level of 2023.
In the project, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development predicted that approximately PLN 290 million would be paid to farmers as a refund of part of the agricultural tax for 2024. from the special reserve of the state budget. As estimated by the Ministry of Agriculture, the average return per hectare was to amount to PLN 38.95. Assuming that the average area of a farm is 11.42 ha, the average agricultural tax refund per farm was to amount to PLN 444.81.
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PLN 290 million for the refund of part of the agricultural tax for 2024.
But that doesn't matter. Minister of Agriculture Czesław Siekierski withdrew in a letter dated July 24 this year. from further legislative work, a draft act on this matter. Why? Because it doesn't have money.
– (…) At the stage of planning the state budget for 2024, the task of helping agricultural producers pay part of the agricultural tax was not included in the specific reserves. Funds in specific reserves are planned in connection with specific needs reported at the stage of budget work by individual administrators. At the current stage of state budget implementation, I do not identify any savings within the specific reserves that could be allocated for the discussed purpose. If there is a desire to further proceed with the draft act on assistance for agricultural producers in the payment of part of the agricultural tax for 2024, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development is competent to indicate the source of covering the costs for the state budget, within the savings allocated in his budget expenditure limit for 2024 , including in special-purpose reserves, which are planned at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development – we read in the opinion on the draft of the Ministry of Agriculture presented by the Deputy Minister of Finance, Jarosław Neneman.
But apparently the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development did not find any free funds in its reserves.
– Due to the inability to indicate the source of financing for the assistance specified in the draft act on aid for agricultural producers in the payment of part of the agricultural tax for 2024, I kindly inform you that I am withdrawing the above-mentioned draft act from further legislative work – wrote the Minister of Agriculture, Czesław Siekierski in in writing to Mariusz Skowroński, secretary of the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers.
The letter is attached.
What is this agricultural tax about?
According to current regulations, agricultural tax for the tax year is:
- from 1 conversion ha of land with an area exceeding 1 ha – the monetary equivalent of 2.5 q of rye,
- from 1 ha of land with an area of up to 1 ha – the monetary equivalent of 5 q of rye – calculated according to the average purchase price of rye for the 11 quarters preceding the quarter preceding the tax year.
The average purchase price of rye is determined on the basis of the announcement of the President of the Central Statistical Office, published in the Official Journal of the Republic of Poland "Monitor Polski", by October 20 of the year preceding the fiscal year. Due to the fact that the Central Statistical Office announced for the 11 quarters preceding the fourth quarter of 2023 the price of rye by 21% higher than in the previous year – farmers were in great fear. Hence their demand to leave the amount of agricultural tax for 2024 at the 2023 level.
But unfortunately – due to the decision of the Minister of Agriculture described above – farmers will "cry and pay" this year. The agricultural tax for 2024 will not be reduced.
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Money from agricultural tax. How to get on the return list and who is entitled to it?
