CHANGES IN THE VEGETABLE MARKET IN POLAND IN THE YEARS 2002-2022

<ns3:p>Vegetable production is an important branch of agriculture in Poland. It represents a significant source of agricultural income and serves as a basis for export. The aim of this study was to identify trends in vegetable production, foreign trade, and consumption in Poland. The analysis was based on data from the Central Statistical Office (GUS) and the Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics – National Research Institute (IERIGŻ-PIB) for the period 2002-2022, and for foreign trade, data from 2002-2023 were used. The study found a slight overall increase in vegetable production during the analyzed period, primarily driven by an increase in the production of vegetables under cover, which compensated for the decline in open-field vegetable production. This was achieved through yield improvements, as the area under vegetable cultivation decreased significantly. Between 2002 and 2022, per capita vegetable consumption in Poland, based on household budget survey data, declined by 15.8%. Given the decrease in domestic consumption, surplus production was allocated for export, mainly in processed form. In value terms, vegetable exports increased at an annual rate of 7.5% during the study period. In 2022, more than 30% of total production was exported. Vegetable imports also increased, although a positive trade balance was recorded in volume terms. However, the trade balance in value terms was negative in the years 2019-2021. Furthermore, the rate of increase in vegetable imports was significantly higher than that of exports, which was primarily due to the off-season import of fresh vegetables when domestic production was unavailable. Nonetheless, the share of vegetable exports in total plant product exports decreased, indicating faster growth in other plant-based product categories. It can be anticipated that the future development of vegetable production and processing in Poland, in the context of stable domestic demand, will depend largely on further growth in export volumes.</ns3:p>