Browse Data and Analysis

On April 15, 2023, Poland introduced an entry ban on certain agri-food products from Ukraine, amid difficult economic situation of famers on a domestic market. Following intensive negotiations with the Ukrainian side, since April 21, 2023, transit of Ukrainian agricultural products through the Polish territory is allowed, while the import ban on agri-food goods from Ukraine is maintained until June 30, 2023.

On April 14, 2023, the first outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in pigs in Poland in 2023 was announced. It is the first outbreak since September 2022, detected on a small backyard farm in Dolnoslaskie (Lower Silesia) province.

Polish Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and Deputy Prime Minister Henryk Kowalczyk resigned from the Ministry of Agriculture on Wednesday, April 5.

On March 22, 2023, the Polish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development proposed a draft Act on Special Arrangements to Improve the Supervision over Animal Health and Protection. The proposed legislation introduces several solutions on the protection, maintenance, treatment, and movement of animals.

The U.S. Census Bureau's bulk, intermediate, and consumer-oriented (BICO) export data tracks U.S. food and agricultural trade shipped directly to Poland.

Poland is one of the largest agri-food industry producers in Central and Eastern Europe. In 2021, over 1270 companies operated in this sector, producing, and exporting goods valued at over U.S. $37 billion. The food processing industry accounted for 5 percent of Poland’s total $674 billion gross domestic product (GDP).

Poland applies European Union (EU) regulatory requirements for all food of animal- and plant-origin. Although the EU has harmonized export certificate requirements for most products, Poland maintains national-level oversight for products still not harmonized under the EU. Poland’s competent authorities can be consulted on a case-by-case basis regarding requirements for non-EU harmonized products. The EU requires that all requisite products be accompanied by sanitary and/or phytosanitary certificates at the port of entry.

Poland is a European Union (EU) Member State and applies all EU regulations pertaining to imports of food and feed products. U.S. food and feed suppliers to Poland should verify with local importers and appropriate U.S. regulatory agencies regarding the most current local requirements prior to shipment.

Poland opposes the use of genetic engineering in agriculture. Although the current regulatory framework technically allows genetically engineered (GE) seeds to enter commerce, the law stipulates they cannot be planted.

Poland is Central and Eastern Europe’s largest market for food and beverage products. With a population of nearly 38 million people, Poland is a large and growing market for U.S. food and agricultural products.

In Marketing Year (MY) 2022, FAS Warsaw forecasts Poland’s total cherry production at 261,500 metric tons (MT), consisting of 183,000 MT sour cherries and of 78,500 MT sweet cherries. Post forecasts that the domestic consumption of cherries will increase by 14.4 percent, mostly due to bigger availability of these fruits for the processing industry.

Poland is Central and Eastern Europe’s largest market for food and beverage products. With a population of nearly 38 million people, Poland is a growing and viable market for U.S. food and agricultural products. Over 373,000 stores operate in Poland. In 2021 Poland’s real GDP growth reached 5.9 percent. Due primarily to the fallout from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, real GDP growth is expected to slow down to 3.9 percent in 2022.