Poland, brief agricultural news week 11, 2019
What happened in Poland last week? A brief overview of agricultural news.
Brexit and Polish trade with United Kingdom
With March 29 approaching, the day that the United Kingdom (UK) is about the leave the EU, KOWR presented data on Polish trade with the UK. In 2018, the value of Polish agrofood products to the UK reached a value of almost 2.7 bln euro, an increase of 4% compared to 2017. The share of the UK in Polish agrofood exports is 9%, after Germany the most important export destination for Polish agrofoodproducts. Poland has a positive trade balance in agrofood products of 2.1 bln euro.
The most exported agrofoodproducts from Poland to the UK are meat and meatproducts (mainly beef and poultry, accounting 967 mln euro (36% of total agrofood exports). Also confectionary products (mainly chocolate products), having a value of 305 mln euro (11% of total agrofoodproducts), tobaccoproducts (243 mln euro) and cereal and flour products (241 mln euro) are important exportproducts for Poland to the UK.
Imports from the UK to Poland represent 3% of total Polish imports and have a value of 592 mln euro. Most important imported agrofoodproducts from the UK are (red) meatproducts (90 mln euro), confectionary products (57 mln euro), sugar syrup (36 mln euro), feedproducts (31 mln euro) and coffee tea and cocoa (28 mln euro).
A petition on the abolition of the Sunday trade ban in Poland
On 12 March 2019, a petition was submitted to the Chancellery of the Prime Minister regarding the abolition of the Act on Sunday trade ban. The petition was signed by the president of the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers (ZPP), the president of the Polish Federation of Merchants 'and Producers' Associations (OFSKiP), as well as over five hundred owners of small family stores. The petition draws attention to both hasty mode of adopting the Act on trade ban and the lack of a reliable assessment of the effects of this regulation, as well as the negative effects of the introduced regulations. During the first year of Sunday trade ban, 16 thousand small family stores were closed, while the Act was to help those. Also perception of the introduced regulations by Polish society is getting worse, with decrease in the number of commercial Sundays in the month, the percentage of opponents of the Sunday trading ban increases. The petition pointed to a solution that would be much more optimal than limiting trade on Sundays, which is introducing a guarantee of two free Sundays a month for each employee employed under a contract of employment. In this way, the original goal could be achieved without interference in the market and the functioning of entrepreneurs. Additional advantage which was underlined is that it would be commonplace and would cover all employees, not just those employed in a part of the commercial sector.
Maxima International Sourcing opens a branch in Poland
Maxima Grupė, owner of the Stokrotka retail chain in Poland (577 stores), T-Market in Bulgaria and the Barbora online store operating in the Baltic States, created Maxima International Sourcing Poland - a subsidiary of Maxima International Sourcing, a company providing agency services to members of groups of retail chains. The task of the branch will be close cooperation with suppliers in Poland, both Polish enterprises and local representatives of international companies and strengthening company's purchasing possibilities in Poland. Maxima Grupe purchased Stokrotka chain from Poland's Emperia Holding in April 2018. At the moment there are 534 Stokrotka supermarkets operating. They, among others, offer over 500 Private label products.
WorldFood Poland
Last week (7-9 March 2019) the WorldFood Poland fair was organised in Warsaw. The event was full of meetings, food shows, competitions and conferences on food sector. This year, 6th edition, attracted 350 exhibitors out of 23 countries. They presented products divided in five different categories: EcoFood, (e.g. superfoods, traditional food, organic food, natural cosmetics), NutraFood (food supplements, functional food, natural medicine),FoodTech (machines for food processing), Food&Drinks and Wine&Spirits.
The Dutch company, Roem Van Yerseke B.V., won a golden medal at WorldFood as a foreign debut, for their Mule á la minute in white wine with vegetable.