Poland: agricultural news week 44

Five for Animals in the freezer?

On October 14, the Polish Senate approved the draft act to amend the Animal Protection Law which would include a ban on fur farming from July 2023 and a partial ban on ritual slaughter of cattle from December 2025 (see https://www.agroberichtenbuitenland.nl/actueel/nieuws/2020/10/15/poland-senate-approved-five-for-animals). The draft act, better known as “Five for Animals” was met with opposition of farmers.

After approval in the Senate, Five for Animals was send back to the Lowerhouse of the parliament (Sejm) to be voted for, before proceeding to the President. The Sejm either accepts the amendments made in the Senate in full or completely rejects the amendments, by which the draft act would proceed in its original form. The meeting in the Sejm on October 27 on Five for Animals was however cancelled, without announcement of a new date. This means that for now the draft act to amend the law on Animal Protection is put in the freezer. It can however be put back on the agenda of the Sejm at any given moment. So keep an eye on our weekly newsletter…

Changes in structure of raspberry producers in Poland

The raspberry landscape of Poland is changing. Plantations of autumn varieties in open ground disappear. Producers invest in tunnels in which such varieties are successfully grown.

In the case of raspberries, the May frosts did not have such a large impact on the yield as in the cultivation of strawberries. However, rainfall in July turned out to be a strong negative factor. The Polish Statistical Office estimates that the total production of raspberries in Poland in 2020 could amount to 122 thousand tonnes, which is about 60% more than last year's very low harvest. There is also a change in the ratio of the size of fall and summer cultivars. The latter are gaining popularity, and more and more of them are grown. Fruit harvested in summer tastes better. However, the weather conditions in the last season were responsible for the poor quality of the raw material for processing.

The situation in the international trade in raspberry was favourable, which was an additional factor contributing to good levels of prices in Poland.

Currently, about 60-70% of raspberries produced in Poland are sold to industrial customers. Due to the possibilities offered by the dessert market, achieving a 50:50 ratio between the production of dessert and industrial fruit is probably a matter of the next few years. Growers are better prepared in the event of drought. After the extremely hot 2019, many of them have invested in the construction of effective irrigation and fertigation systems. Perhaps this year it did not matter much. Some of the plantations had to be removed at certain times. If in the future dry and hot summers come again, the yield decline should not be as large as in the previous year.

 Source: Jagodnik.pl

Poland's agri-food exports continue to grow

The value of exports of Polish agricultural and food products in the first eight months of 2020 increased by 6 percent y/y to EUR 21.9 billion the National Support Centre for Agriculture (KOWR) reported.

KOWR said that the growth in exports was primarily influenced by good results of foreign sales in the first quarter and the recovery in exports in June and July.
The first quarter depreciation of the domestic currency against the EUR and the USD also contributed to the increase in exports. Moreover, between April and August, it resulted in a PLN exchange rate that was favourable for exporters.
The KOWR data show that the dynamics of export growth exceeded the growth rate of imports. In effect, the positive trade balance increased by 10.1% y/y and reached EUR 7.4 billion.
As with last year, this year Polish agri-food products were primarily exported to the EU market. Exports to EU countries reached EUR 17.5 billion, up 3 percent y/y, and constituted 80% of total revenues from the export of agri-food products.

KOWR analysts noted in their report that this year sees fairly strong growth in sales to non-EU markets, a sign that domestic companies are intensively looking for new markets. Exports to non-EU markets reached the value of EUR 4.4 billion after the first eight months of the year growing by 18% y/y.
Polish flagship products in agri-food exports are: meat, fruit, vegetables, cereal and dairy products, as well as sweets.
In August, the Polish Ministry of Agriculture stressed that the pandemic had resulted in countries with weak agriculture, yet rich in financial resources, wishing to build or rebuild their food reserves. This manifested in a growing interest in Polish food from countries such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon.

Source: PAP