Polish exporters pack a punch at Fruit Attraction

There were 25 Polish companies presenting their fruits and vegetables at Fruit Attraction in Madrid last week – triple the number at the country’s first formal participation at the fair, […]
Wed 04/11/2015
There were 25 Polish companies presenting their fruits and vegetables at Fruit Attraction in Madrid last week – triple the number at the country’s first formal participation at the fair, in 2013.

There were 25 Polish companies presenting their fruits and vegetables at Fruit Attraction in Madrid last week – triple the number at the country’s first formal participation at the fair, in 2013.

With Poland a major exporter of fruit and vegetables and Spain one of its main markets, the country participated with its own stand, which was opened on the first day of the fair by Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Spain, Tomasz Arabski.

Visitors were later invited to a tasting of products from Poland, which is:

  • the world leader in the export of apples (record crop of over 3.2 million tons last year, with 700,000 tons exported), and of blackcurrants, currants and raspberries;
  • second top grower of strawberries, cucumbers and onions;
  • a major exporter of cherries, gooseberries, cabbage, carrots, beets, tomatoes, mushrooms and other vegetables;
  • among the top 4 EU countries for fruit and vegetable production (8.8 million tons last year), behind only Spain, Italy and France); and
  • offers the combination of impressive organic production and low prices.

What lies behind Poland’s apple export success

In a press release, the Polish Embassy in Madrid said one of the secrets to Poland’s success as an apple exporter is the unmistakable taste of its apple and its competitive prices. “This surprising export boom has been also possible thanks to modern equipment and machinery that ensure optimal classification, packaging and cooling,” it said.

The secret of Polish production

As for the “spectacular” growth in Poland’s production volumes, the embassy credited the maintenance of “the highest standards of quality, cultivating original conditions and using only natural resources in production processes,” and the big role played by “uncontaminated soil, air and high purity water.” Witold Boguta, president of Poland’s National Association of Groups of Fruits and Vegetables Producers in Poland, said that apart from a focus on customer satisfaction, Polish producers place great importance to compliance on quality and food safety. “Most of our products have the GLOBALG.A.P. label and other certificates demonstrating compliance with the standards of quality and environment,” he said.
The grower association headed by Boguta participated in Fruit Attraction, as did the Department of Trade, Investment and Promotion of the Polish Embassy in Spain.