Fruit and vegetable sector in Poland - what strategic direction?

2021-06-29 11:43

Although the apple harvest in 2020 in Poland was not record-breaking, the now-ending apple trading season will not be well remembered by Polish fruit growers. And especially its second half, which saw price falls generated by low demand and high stocks.

The apple business is a typical example of the problems plaguing the entire Polish fruit and vegetable industry. All the sector's ills are concentrated here like a lens. For what is the reality of this industry? The example of apples shows it perfectly. Over the years, acreage has grown, changes in technology have increased productivity, and now orchard owners are praying for a poor harvest in order to have a price. And so it is with many fruit and vegetables.

In addition, due to the direction of Polish policy in recent years, we have lost our market in Russia, and now we are also losing Belarus. In addition, the lack of adequate, professional and effective measures means that we cannot break through with mass supplies of our fruit and vegetables to Asian markets, including China and India.

And this should be our strategic direction - the East. This is where most of our promotional activities and resources should go. It is on the markets of Asian countries - countries with the most dynamic natural growth - that there will be the highest demand for food. Then there is our own "Middle East", i.e. Belarus and Russia.

Of course, this is not a simple matter. It might even seem impossible, especially the normalisation of relations with Russia. But let us look at how others play this game. Take the USA, for example. President Biden not so long ago called President Putin a thug, and then, as if nothing had happened, he went to meet him and shake his hand. States have interests, they have no morals. That is the basis of this game.

It seems that at the moment Polish decision-makers do not have a clear vision of the strategy that will ensure Poland's development. They are forgetting that the Polish economy is based to a large extent on exports, and the food sector is a very important part of this, and we need to provide opportunities for its development. There are not many such opportunities in the European Union. Here everyone produces in excess and looks for markets themselves.

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