The farmers’ Solidarity trade union, which has called for a nationwide strike, demands compensation payments and support for agricultural producers.
Union spokesman Adrian Wawrzyniak said: "The farmers oppose the Green Deal, the import of agri-food products from Ukraine, the restriction of animal husbandry in Poland, and the dramatic situation in agriculture."
Police were urging citizens to plan travel ahead of time and consider alternative routes.
A total of 580 protests were expected to take place nationwide, with nearly 70,000 participants throughout the day.
The protest focused on major access roads to provincial cities and expressways, with many farmers starting their demonstrations in the morning.
In the north-central Kujawsko-Pomorskie region, farmers began blocking roads early in the day, with police setting up detours for affected travelers.
Traffic disruptions were expected in numerous locations, including the capital Warsaw and other major cities such as Gdańsk, Łódź, Poznań, Wrocław and Rzeszów.
Public broadcaster Polish Radio reported on Wednesday that a partial agreement had been reached between the government and protesting farmers during overnight negotiations at Jasionka in the southeast of the country.
However, officials said that a complete resolution of the protest had yet to be finalized.
The negotiations at the European Agricultural Forum in Jasionka culminated in the drafting of a document focusing on subsidies for grain and measures governing the transit of specific agricultural products from Ukraine, Polish Radio reported.
The Polish protests are part of a broader wave of agricultural demonstrations across Europe, with farmers demanding changes to European Green Deal regulations and protection against the import of agri-food products from non-EU countries.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP, IAR