A farmer from Lublin, Tomasz Jachacz, instead of plowing three hectares of peppers, invites volunteers to take a vegetable for free. Why such a decision and what does it say about the condition of Polish agriculture?
Why a farmer gives away peppers for free
This year's season for vegetable producers proved extremely difficult. Buy paid for a kilo of peppers onlyPLN 1,50, often even less, so the crop stopped paying off. For Tomasz Jachacz of Zemborice Wojciechowski, the cost of harvesting and processing exceeded the possible profit. As he explains, he would pay workers more than he would make by selling to buy.
In focus it gets 1.40 PLN for a kilo of peppers and sometimes even less. After deduction of harvesting and slicing costs, a penny remains. Meanwhile, in the shop the same pepper costs about 10 zł.
It just doesn't pay off, says Tomasz Jachacz
People pick the prettiest plays, kids play in the playground, there's a mini zoo. You can see what real agriculture looks like – says Tomasz
The stock income not only saved some of this year's harvest. The farmer also decided to support the local children's home in Lublin, passing PLN 2000.
This is a social brick from everyone who came to me – he says proudly.
He's planning on developing this idea next year.
More vegetables, more space, maybe even a small bazaar from the field. Onions, beets, carrots, pumpkins. All fresh and local – encourages the farmer.
President of the Lublin Chamber of Agriculture, Gustav Jędrejek
The collapse of a large processing plant in Germany caused Western markets to fill up with goods from that market. This blocked too for Polish vegetables – he explains. – Farmers organize self-harvest, because this is often the last resort. Without that, most crops would be wasted.
Self-harvest means of loss
Only a few weeks ago, the farmer tried to organize a collection at the price of PLN 2 per kilo. The farm visited crowds – people came in whole families and collected peppers for themselves. When interest fell, and only less mature vegetables were left in the field, Yachter decided to give them away for free so that they wouldn't go to waste in the field.
Problem scale – situation in Polish fields
Many Polish farmers were in a similar situation – not only from Lublin. Planters in other regions also invited people to free harvest because sales of vegetables stopped covering production and work costs. It is often the result of buying-in policies and the instability of the agricultural market, which affect entire agricultural families.
Indicative prices for peppers in 2025
| Market (voivod) | Purchase price (evil/kg) |
|---|---|
| Lublin | 1.40–1.50 |
| Mazovia | 1.20–1.60 |
| Retail stores | 6–10 |
| Cost of harvesting and processing | approx. 0.50 |
Source: farmers' relations, industry interviews
What's next?
Will one-time stock change something on the market? Not really – but they can inspire other farmers and signal to the authorities to start solving systemic problems. For consumers, it is an impulse to appreciate the hard work in the countryside and to choose local products, thus supporting Polish producers.
