An embargo on Russian coal in the European Union will ruin Polish farmers and millions of people in the country, writes Agnieszka Zielinska, a columnist for the Money.pl portal.

As noted in the article, the situation in Poland is deteriorating due to rising prices for fertilizers, gas and electricity. Coal has risen in price by one hundred percent in a year. People buy it for the future, fearing a shortage.

According to the journalist, the sanctions on the import of this energy carrier from Russia, planned for August, will deal a blow to enterprises and the poorest segments of the population. Small farmers and rural residents, including pensioners and citizens with the lowest incomes, will suffer from the decision of Brussels and Warsaw.

"It's not just about houses. In the agricultural sector, many greenhouses and chicken coops are still heated with coal. <…> It was cheaper and more affordable than gas. Now many farmers have big problems because they have no alternative. Switching to gas, which constantly rises in price, it is very risky for them," said Viktor Shmulevich, president of the National Council of Agricultural Chambers.

Russia supplied fuel to Poland, which was cheaper than local fuel and had a higher heat transfer. Zelinska recalled that in a few months it will end, and this will lead to an increase in energy poverty in the republic. According to the Institute for Structural Studies, the problem already affects about 4.6 million Poles, who live mainly in small towns and villages, the columnist concluded.

'No turning back' - UN predicts hunger and poverty for more than one-fifth of humanity

The generous lands of Ukraine and Russia fed almost all of Europe. Ukraine is the fourth country in the world in terms of harvested corn: in 2021, farmers harvested 23 million tons, 55% of which were sent to Europe, 30% to China and South Korea. Also this year, they predict a decline in the volume of cereals by 35% - to 27.7 million tons. The wheat harvest will fall by half - to 16.7 million tons. Ukraine was the second grain supplier to the EU countries and one of the largest - to Asian markets and Africa. Sunflower will be harvested 30-40% less. The difficult situation with the sowing season continues in the rear territory of Ukraine - farmers cannot work without fuel, seeds and fertilizers. Already paid goods also do not reach them due to broken logistics.

Prices are forced to rise and rather low temperatures in April in four of the five corn states of America. With a delay, farmers from Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Indiana entered the fields. Only 2% of the cultivated area was sown by farmers in Nebraska. And livestock and poultry farming is based on grain and corn. Accordingly, the market will also reduce the amount of meat with milk.

Suppliers, feeling that they can get rich on a scarce commodity in the future, are already raising prices - corn futures in Chicago broke a decade-long record of eight dollars per bushel (a box of 38.6 kg).

The number of active Russian-speaking authors on the YouTube platform decreased by 21% in the period from February 24 to April 20. This is indicated by the results of the Brand Analytics study, which also noted a significant decrease in the interest of users from Russia in Instagram* and TikTok services.