Agro sector: exports to warm countries on the rise

Polish products go to the European Union market, but also increasingly to Asian markets, to Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. It turns out that the value of exports in 2022 was 47.6 billion euros, a quarter higher than the previous year.

However, the distribution of products at high temperatures remains a challenge for the agro-industry. Access to refrigerated containers is no longer a problem, but exporters also need to ensure the quality of the goods during distribution in destination countries such as Colombia and Costa Rica.

Deliveries in the here and now, as well as the availability of products throughout the year, are becoming increasingly important. Importers from African or Asian countries expect high-quality fruit not only when they are loaded in Poland, but above all when they are traded in the destination country. And this costs money and requires additional investment in quality,” explains “Rzeczpospolita” Paulina Kopeć, secretary general of the “Fruit Union” association.

Agro-producers are aware that distribution is the most important element of the food supply chain, and when exporting outside the EU, this is a new challenge for supply chains. Polish producers export primarily fruit and dairy products, and these are products that require the right temperature, especially during transport in so-called warm countries. The sector is favored by lower transportation costs, which is of considerable importance with rising production prices.

This is because not only sea freight prices are falling, but also trucking. For fruit producers, exports seem to be the only salvation for declining demand in Poland. – The past season was one of the first when some fruit remained on the trees, as there was a shortage of seasonal workers to harvest at acceptable costs, comments Paulina Kopeć of the “Fruit Union”.

You can read about the current challenges for the agro sector in the CargoON report: