Poland is the sixth largest producer of fruit and vegetables in the EU and the leading producer of processed fruit and vegetable products. The importance of this sector is growing rapidly. One of the driving forces of the development of Polish fruit and vegetable processing is the rising exports.

During a press conference which counted with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, PKO Bank Polski presented the report "Processing of fruits and vegetables; importance for the food industry and the development of the sector in Poland." According to experts of the bank, the importance of the Polish fruit and vegetable processing sector is growing dynamically, and its growth is driven by a growing supply of raw materials and rising export sales.

Poland is the largest exporter of concentrated apple juice and frozen fruit in the EU and the second largest exporter of processed mushrooms. Growing knowledge about the proper preparation of fruits and vegetables for long-term transport makes Polish companies increasingly willing to export fresh fruit, allowing them to reach even distant markets like the Chinese.

"Polish companies should be strong in all industries, but we also need to have specialties. One of them is the agro-food industry. Our fruits are known in many markets. We need this position to strengthen and expand. Business development is not possible without exports. Poland must expand its business, not only to EU countries, but also to prospective, developing markets. We want our food to take the top spot. State support, be it legal, financial or promotional, must be tailored to the needs of producers, because they already compete effectively with quality today," said Deputy Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

"Small and medium firms are the pillar of the Polish economy. We are glad that more and more entrepreneurs see the potential of shipping to foreign markets. Thanks to the growing export of fruit and vegetable products, the sector is becoming increasingly important for the domestic economy. PKO Bank Polski supports the efforts of Polish companies to help them grow both domestically and abroad," stated Rafał Antczak, Vice President of the Management Board of PKO Bank Polski.

Due to the growing domestic consumption of frozen vegetables and rising export sales, more and more fruit and vegetables are being grown for processing. Poland is the largest producer of apples in the EU and the leader in EU production of raspberries, cherries and blackcurrants, as well as a major producer of strawberries and vegetables. In the period from 2011 to 2016, fruit production in Poland increased by 36%, mainly due to a 46% growth of the apple production.

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