Export of Polish beef
Poland is ranked fifth among the European Union countries in terms of the size of the cattle population. The annual domestic production of live cattle is within the range of 550-570 thousand tonnes, which gives Poland the position of the sixth producer among the EU countries, whit the 8% share in the production.
Polish beef and veal export volume is growing year by year. In 2022, it was four times higher that in 2004. According to the data for 2022, about 90% of the beef and veal products produced in Poland are exported- both to the EU and non- EU countries. During the eleven months of 2023, 471 thousand tonnes of beef and veal products (in carcass equivalent) were sold abroad from Poland, by 7% more than a year before. The largest share in the export was that of meat, which was exported in the quantity of 367 thousand tonnes (in product weight), by 10% more than a year before.
The largest customers of beef were the EU countries that are demanding in terms of quality, mainly
- Italy (72 thousand tonnes, 20% share in the export),
- Germany (59 thousand tonnes, 16%) and
- the Netherlands (33 thousand tonnes, 9%).
At the same time, Poland is the second, after Ireland , EU exporter of beef products to non-EU countries. Thanks to the possibility of carrying out halal slaughter, in the period of January- November 2023 Polish beef found customers, inter alia, in the countries such as
- Turkey (8% share, 30 thousand tonnes)
- Israel (2%, 10 thousand tonnes)
- Bosna and Herzegovina( 3 thousand tonnes, 1%)
Beef from Poland was also sent to the United Kingdom (17 thousand tonnes, 5%) and was allowed to be exported to the very demanding Japanese market (3 thousand tonnes, 1%).
The export of Polish beef to non Eu countries is growing. In 2023, Poland was granted an opportunity to sell beef to China (boneless beef from animals not older than 30 months) and Vietnam. The sport will be possible after the completion of administrative procedures related to abtaining permits by Polish exporters to sell beef to these countries. Also, advanced agreements regarding the possibility of exporting beef from Poland to the Asian countries are underway. The growing diversification of sales to non- EU markets is for Polish entrepreneurs a guarantee of the stability of beef export and a stimulus to develop beef cattle breeding and improve the meat quality.
Source: Polish food Winter 2023/2024