More money for compensation for farmers in Żuławy for flooded fields

A month after severe flooding in Żuławy, most of the affected farmers have still not received the promised aid. New technologies are being used to assess the damage, while the minister of agriculture announces increased funding for farmers’ support. The situation in the region remains tense.

First damage estimates already known

To speed up and improve the assessment of losses caused by the July downpours and the breach of flood embankments in Żuławy, the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture (ARiMR) used satellite and radar images. Based on the analysis of the collected material, it was determined that 22,871 ha of agricultural land had been completely flooded, of which 17,179 ha were in the Pomeranian Voivodeship and 5,692 ha in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. Damage assessment on the remaining land is being carried out by commissions appointed by the voivodes – explained Leszek Szymański, deputy president of ARiMR.

The area of flooded land is in fact larger than expected. Municipal commissions have already begun work in areas where favorable weather allowed for harvesting of the surviving crops. Complete estimates of the damage, also covering partially flooded areas, will be available in the coming weeks. According to data from the Pomeranian Voivodeship Office, 776 farms in the Pomeranian Voivodeship and 709 farms in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship were affected.

Ministry of agriculture announces increased aid

Last week, the minister of agriculture and rural development, Stefan Krajewski, took part in a meeting with farmers organized in Nowy Dwór Gdański by the Warmian-Masurian and Pomeranian Chambers of Agriculture. The event was also attended by representatives of ARiMR, Polish Waters, as well as members of parliament and local government officials.

Farmers expressed disappointment with the lack of concrete solutions and delays in aid payments. Questions were also raised about the eligibility of damage to meadows and pastures that had been mown before the arrival of municipal commissions, as well as about plans to repair water facilities in Żuławy.

The minister assured that no affected farm would be left without assistance, but the condition for payment is well-documented damage reports. In view of the difficult hydrological situation in the region, he appointed a new position of MRiRW plenipotentiary for the Vistula Żuławy (Paweł Cywiński) and declared an increase in budgetary funds for land reclamation. At the same time, he announced the allocation of an additional PLN 69 million for agricultural producers affected this year by adverse weather events.

Will the situation in Żuławy improve?

The Regional Water Management Authority in Gdańsk reported a series of actions aimed at reducing flood risk. Analyzing the situation at the end of July, representatives of the RZGW in Gdańsk emphasized the exceptional intensity of weather events. At the Gdańsk-Świbno station, a record rainfall of 136.8 mm in a single day was recorded – more than twice the previous maximum from 2016.

There is no doubt that the Vistula Żuławy is an area of particularly high flood risk. Therefore, deputy minister of infrastructure Przemysław Koperski announced at the meeting in Nowy Dwór that maintenance expenditures in the region would be doubled in the coming years.

Comprehensive measures to increase flood safety in Żuławy are also to be implemented with the participation of EU funds. The government has announced an allocation of PLN 414 million for this purpose in the years 2026–2029. In addition, Polish Waters, as part of the Flood Protection Program for the Vistula Żuławy for 2026–2036, plan to implement 48 investment and maintenance projects with a total value of PLN 1.4 billion. It was assured that farmers’ demands will be taken into account in the development of new water management plans.

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main photo credit: Julie/Flickr