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Contents 

4 The statement of Marek Sawicki, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development 

4 

POLISH PRESIDENCY IN THE EU 

7 EU Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries in Wrocław 

The first stage of the two-day meeting were site visits. “I want to show my EU colleagues, how beautiful 

and extensive our agriculture is, how good is our food produced from indigenous raw materials, produced in 

harmony with nature and respecting the environment”, said Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development 

Marek Sawicki, when welcoming EU ministers who came to Wrocław. Minister Sawicki’s guests were also: 

Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Ciolos and Chairman of the Committee on 

Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Parliament Paolo De Castro. 

9 30 th Conference of directors of EU paying agencies 

The session was attended by delegates of EU institutions: European Commission, European Court of Auditors 

and European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). Representatives of Ministries of Agriculture of candidate countries: 

Croatia and Turkey were the observers. Over 150 people took part in the session. 

The main theme was simplification of the common agricultural policy and reduction of associated with its 

implementation administrative burden on beneficiaries and competent bodies. 

11 The energy use of biomass 

7 

14 APA International Seminar 

The seminar, which gathered some 150 representatives of the Polish parliament, the Chancellery of the 

President, Polish and foreign ministries of agriculture as well as the nationally and internationally recognized 

research and scientific institutes and agricultural universities, was aimed to exchange the views on 

the rational management of continuously decreasing acreage of agricultural land in Europe, with particular 

emphasis on EU Member States. 

16 International conference on soil organic matter 

9 

TRENDS AND FORECASTS 

18 The impact of the EU membership on the Polish agricultural sector 

Poland’s accession to the EU in 2004 meant an important change in the economic conditions of production 

for Poland’s agriculture. The methods of support for this sector as well as the range and conditions of intervention 

on basic agricultural markets were changed. 

22 Polish foreign trade in agri-food in the first half of 2011 

The value of turnover (total value of exports and imports) in the Polish external trade in agri-food products 

in the first half of 2011 amounted to EUR 13,013 million and was 14% higher than in the corresponding 

period of 2010. 

25 Beef market in Poland 

Production of beef cattle requires specialization. Polish farmers are aware that the beef obtained in the 

breeding process of specialized breeds of beef cattle becomes a sought and valued product. Therefore, more 

and more breeders in Poland start meat herds. 

PROMOTION OF POLISH FOOD 

22 

27 Best food in Poznań 

29 Polish apples in Brussels 

Vol. 3-2011 (59) 

Official quarterly of the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture edited together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development under personal supervision of Minister 

Marek Sawicki. Appears every three months in English. Editorial Staff: Ewa Woicka-Bekas (Editor-in-Chief), Ewa Jaroszewicz, Małgorzata Książyk (Deputy Editor-in-Chief), Mariola Marczak; Translation: 

busy b translations Sp. z o.o.; Photography: Archives of MARD, Minister’s Office, Press Office, Producers, Polskie Zrzeszenie Producentów Bydła Mięsnego, Urząd Marszałkowski Województwa 

Podkarpackiego, Urząd Marszałkowski Województwa Lubelskiego, P. Bekas, I. Chromiak, J. Czarnecki, M. Książyk, A. Kubat, D. Mamiński, J. Mańkowski, I. Skibowska, E. Woicka-Bekas; Cover: Jerzy Buzek, 

the President of the European Parliament and Marek Sawicki, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development tasting Polish traditional products (photo: Marcin Pikulski); Programme Council: 

Andrzej Babuchowski (Minister-Counsellor, Permanent Representation of Poland to the EU), Dariusz Goszczyński (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), Franciszek Kadzik (Agency for 

Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture), Marek Kassa (Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture), Julian Krzyżanowski (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), 

Małgorzata Książyk (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), Anna Pieniążek (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), Zofia Szalczyk (Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of 

Agriculture), Anita Szczykutowicz (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), Grażyna Wereszczyńska (Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture); Office: Polish Food, ARiMR, 

ul. Wspólna 30, 00-930 Warsaw, Poland; Phone: (+48 22) 623 24 26, (+48 22) 623 11 75, fax (+48 22) 623 15 00; Free subscription: Polish Food, ul. Wspólna 30, 00-930 Warsaw, Poland; e-mail: 

Ewa.Bekas@doplaty.gov.pl, Ewa.Jaroszewicz@doplaty.gov.pl, Mariola.Marczak@doplaty.gov.pl; http://www.minrol.gov.pl (English version); Copyright 2011 Polish Food. Submitted to print in November 2011. 

2 

Autumn 2011

Contents 

30 Regional product: Jabłka grójeckie/Grójec apples 

“Jabłka grójeckie” (Grójec apples) are one of 16 Polish products registered by the European Commission under 

the Protected Geographical Indication category and thus they participate in the Community high quality 

food system. Under the name of “Jabłka grójeckie” apples of 27 varieties, which meet the highest quality 

requirements, may be sold. 

PRODUCERS-EXPORTERS 

32 PDŻ mark – the highest quality products 

FOOD SAFETY 

36 Beef? With pleasure! – Discover the QMP system and make conscious purchases 

The QMP beef quality system is a new national food quality scheme that gives retailers and consumers the 

guarantee and basis of greater confidence in quality of Polish beef. The properties of QMP beef, such as, for 

example, tenderness, juiciness meet consumers’ expectations to a large extent. 

30 

PRODUCTION AND FOOD PROCESSING 

40 Beefsteaks not worse than those from Argentina 

43 The only such beef producing plant 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 

46 2 nd Congress of Agricultural Sciences 

The 2 nd Congress of Agricultural Sciences included two plenary sessions. The main issues discussed during 

those sessions were: 

• Trends in development of agricultural sciences and their impact on the form of the agricultural policy in 

Poland in the medium- and long-term perspective. 

• Science for the benefit of the bioeconomy and innovative model of development of the agri-food sector 

and rural areas. 

• Economic and social determinants of production, food safety and quality standards in terms of environmental 

changes. 

• Transfer of knowledge for development of the agri-food sector and rural areas. 

49 Food and nutrition in 21 st century international conference 

The main objectives of the conference were: 

• To identify main threats to the European bio-economy in the light of EU policies, including those pertaining 

to food industry, agriculture, nutrition safety, food quality and the evaluation of the diet’s impact on 

health and well-being of the Europeans; 

• To identify major trends in food and nutrition research; 

• To propose recommendations for European research and innovation policy in these areas. 

POLAND TASTES 

52 Unforgettable holidays: Eastern Poland 

Eastern Poland, also known as “Kresy wschodnie” (Eastern Borderlands), includes the territories at the eastern 

border of Poland neighbouring on (from the North to the South) Belarus, Ukraine and Slovakia. They 

encompass mainly the Podlaskie, Lubelskie and Podkarpackie Voivodeships. This region is an exceptional 

mix of cultures. The history of these lands is interesting and colourful, due to the trade routes from the 

European West to the countries situated to the East from Poland, as well as to wars and immigrants from 

different parts of the world. Traces of these events have survived in architecture, customs and eating habits. 

56 Beef on Polish table 

TRADITIONAL POLISH CUISINE 

58 Delicacies from eastern Poland 

The areas of eastern Poland - Podlasie, Lublin region and Podkarpacie – provide tourists with outstanding 

variety of dishes of these regions’ traditional cuisine. Its location – close to the border, migrations of people 

and turbulent history caused that representatives of various nationalities such as Poles, Lithuanians, 

Belarusians, Tatars, Jews and Ukrainians lived here side by side for centuries: Thanks to this colorful mix of 

nationalities, the dishes of the traditional cuisine are very differentiated as well. 

61 Statistics 

40 

46 

52 

58 

Autumn 2011 3

Marek Sawicki 

Minister of Agriculture 

and Rural Development 

Ladies and Gentlemen! 

The most important event at the beginning 

of autumn was presentation by the European 

Commission of the so-called legislative package 

regarding changes in the Common Agricultural 

Policy after 2013. After the years of discussion, 

the time has come to give a first concrete expression 

of a future solution. 

Unfortunately, the proposals are a disappointment. 

I expected, not without reason, an essential 

reform of the CAP. Taking into account the present 

form of this one of the oldest EU policies, I 

expected it to turn into a policy which is developmental 

and competitive when compared to 

the agriculture of the non-European countries. 

This should be a policy which would be able to 

respond to growing European and global food 

needs over the next decades. And it turned out 

that the presented proposals had been subject 

more to the rule of maintaining budget 

transfers to the Member States than to actual 

change in the agricultural policy. Moreover, they 

do not include financing new tasks required by 

the CAP after its review in 2008. 

In particular, I would like to underline 

the issue of simplification. Eventually, 

all Member States unanimously 

obliged the EC to develop the CAP proposals 

which would be simple, clear to 

beneficiaries and taxpayers, yet these 

proposals are very complicated. 

They head towards further growth in bureaucracy 

and introduce many new elements to 

the payments, such as: a necessity to cultivate 

three types of crops on a holding – at least 5% 

of the area and no more than 70% of the area 

each; payment for active farmers only – direct 

payments must account for more than 5% of 

income when compared to that of the nonagricultural 

activity or the minimum activity 

determined by the Member State is conducted 

on agricultural land forming the holding, upper 

payment limits (so-called capping), direct payments 

higher for young farmers and an obligation 

of greening 30% of the national envelope. 

Another disappointment is the fact 

that the minor financial adjustments 

are not worth much when compared to 

the maintained national envelope for 

payments which is based on historical 

parameters. 

The reference yield of cereals or oilseed crops 

set 20 years ago and the population of meat 

beef x EUR 200 still determine the national 

envelopes for direct payments in the Member 

States. Maintenance of such financial envelopes 

and then a percentage calculation of 

compensations for greening (30% of the envelope) 

or the young farmer (up to 2% of the envelope), 

LFAs (up to 5% of the envelope) results in 

an increasing inequality among the countries. 

The states with small envelopes, e.g. new Member 

States, including the Baltic states, will be 

unable to compensate, in a proper way, farmers 

for compulsory requirements imposed as part 

of greening the CAP. Similarly, it will be difficult 

to disburse identical payments to young farmers 

in the EU from a small national envelope for 

direct payments. There are no proposals guaranteeing 

the complete leveling of direct payments 

across the EU. By the end of 2019, such 

4 

Autumn 2011

equalisation would take place at the regional/ 

Member State level only. 

So, where is the spirit of the leveling of 

the conditions of competition within 

the European Union? Did we not learn 

anything from the crisis that we are 

witnessing? 

Introduction of new – as I said – additional 

tasks for the CAP (including the restrictions for 

production practices) while retaining the present 

budget level shall lead to a restriction in the 

international competitiveness of EU agriculture 

and the moving of partial production outside 

the EU which would have negative consequences, 

i.e., environmental ones. 

Besides, I would like to emphasise that the 

scope of leveling of direct support among the 

Member States is insignificant and in fact the 

diversification of rates based on the historical 

intensity of production is maintained (although 

reduced). The project provides for only a partial 

reduction in the disproportions of payments 

amount among the Member States. There are 

no proposals guaranteeing the complete leveling 

of direct payments across the European 

Union based on flat rates which would be consistent 

with the Polish postulate that the area 

of arable land should be the only or basic criterion 

determining the amount of national envelopes 

(i.e. properly describing the potential with 

regard to food production and environmental 

protection). By the end of 2019, such leveling 

would take place at a regional/Member State 

level only. 

Also, it is unfavourable to abandon financial 

strengthening of the 2 nd pillar, 

which was an element of all existing 

reforms of the CAP and the favoured 

support method for the active development 

of EU agricultural and rural areas. 

I would also like to highlight the fact that 

moving certain functions and measures between 

the pillars as well as new components of 

the 1 st pillar will result in the obliteration of the 

currently clear allocation of roles between the 

1 st and 2 nd pillar. 

As a consequence, it will result in an increased 

complexity of the CAP, in particular 

within the 1 st pillar, inter alia, by separating the 

green component of payments, complex relations 

under the Good Agricultural and Environmental 

Condition (GAEC), green component of 

the 1 st pillar and agri-environmental measures 

of the 2 nd pillar. 

I can, however also notice some positive elements 

in the presented proposal. They include, 

undoubtedly, an improvement in the distribution 

of direct support among holdings of various 

sizes through the mechanism of degressive 

payment reduction – for large holdings (capping) 

and increase in unit support rates – for 

small holdings (the effect of lump-sum payment 

for small holdings). 

A step in the right direction is also to feature 

the role of small holdings in the European agricultural 

model and in the implementation of 

the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy, in 

particular those regarding growth which is sustainable 

and favours creation of thematic subprogrammes 

under the RDP for this group of 

holdings. Lump-sum direct payment for small 

holdings and support for the diversification of 

income under the 2 nd pillar as well as instruments 

strengthening their market position are 

to be used for this purpose. 

It is also beneficial to extend the scope 

of the CAP toolbox by new measures 

which are complementary to the present 

instruments and respond to new 

challenges. 

I mean here, for example, new risk management 

instruments, extension of the scope of 

measures: support for producer groups and 

extension of certain market measures to all 

products. 

It is not possible to mention all the negative 

and positive elements of the so-called legislative 

package presented by the European Commission. 

Many of them certainly require further 

clarification and making them more specific. 

Certainly, the proposed solutions are not a reform 

of the Common Agricultural Policy to an 

extent which is necessary for European agriculture 

and besides they do not correspond to 

expectations. As Ministers of Agriculture, we 

gave voice to this during the debate of the EU 

Council for Agriculture and Fisheries in Luxembourg 

which was held on 20-21 October 2011. 

The proposal to exclude from production 7% 

Autumn 2011 5

Participants in the informal meeting of the ministers of agriculture and fisheries in Wrocław 

of cultivated land for environmental purposes 

was particularly criticised. 

The majority of my fellow ministers also referred 

to the proposal regarding the leveling 

of direct payments. On one hand, the ministers 

mostly from the new Member States 

expressed strong dissatisfaction related to 

the lack of leveling of payments, while on the 

other hand – the ministers of the old Member 

States protested against reduction in support 

as part of the same process. 

I note that simplification of the CAP 

was a subject in the speeches of all 

Ministers. It is my opinion, and that 

of many others that the legislative 

package still requires much work so 

that the reformed CAP could become 

a tool for building a strong, competitive 

and sustainable European agriculture 

responding to global challenges. 

The government term has come to its 

end. I thank you for four years of intense 

cooperation and participation in 

extremely important work on the future 

of European agriculture. 

Regardless of the fact who is going to be the 

new Polish minister of agriculture, we will all 

take part in a decisive debate over the future of 

European agriculture. I am convinced that the 

experiences of recent months, related to the serious 

euro area crisis, will enable a better understanding 

of existing risks and contribute to an 

earlier, more rational approach to systemic solutions 

which will determine the position of European 

agriculture for many years to come. In this 

sector of the economy, plans are made almost 

for a generation. This means than we have to 

stop looking at the issue only in terms of another 

election or temporary, provisional changes. 

I wish such an approach was adopted by all who 

will soon decide upon the shape of the reform of 

the Common Agricultural Policy after 2013. 

6 

Autumn 2011

Polish Presidency in the EU 

EU Ministers of Agriculture 

and Fisheries in Wrocław 

Common Agricultural Policy should be simple, fair and development-oriented 

– it is the opinion of the Minister Marek Sawicki. All EU Ministers of Agriculture 

participating in the September meeting upheld this opinion. 

Informal meeting of the Council of Ministers for Agriculture and Fisheries, 

which took place on 12 th -13 th September this year in Lower Silesia, was organized 

within the work of Polish Presidency of the EU Council. 

The first stage of the two-day meeting were 

site visits. “I want to show my EU colleagues, 

how beautiful and extensive our agriculture 

is, how good is our food produced from indigenous 

raw materials, produced in harmony with 

nature and respecting the environment”, said 

Minister of Agriculture and 

Rural Development Marek 

Sawicki, when welcoming 

EU ministers who came 

to Wrocław. Minister Sawicki’s 

guests were also: 

Commissioner for Agriculture 

and Rural Development Dacian Ciolos and 

Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and 

Rural Development of the European Parliament 

Paolo De Castro. 

Participants of the meeting had the opportunity 

to visit four unique places in Lower Silesia 

voivodship: Experimental Department of Institute 

of Zoology – National Research Institute 

in Żerniki Wielkie; Museum 

of Carriages in Gałowice (in 

the municipality of Żórawina); 

Jaworek vineyard in Miękinia; 

Lesieniec farm breeding pure 

blood Arabian horses. 

During the visit in Experimental 

Department in Żerniki 

Wielkie the guests acknowledged 

its greatest achievements, 

which are highly productive, 

unstressed breeding 

sows of the “wbp” and “pbz” 

breed and their hybrids with 

very high slaughtering utility, 

and also viewed construction of modern biogas 

plant which is rising with the EU support. 

“The use of biogas means cheaper energy 

and cleaner environment”, said Minister 

Sawicki and added 

that the program of 

development of small 

biogas plants in Poland 

will lead to better use 

of alternative sources of energy. 

The next part of the programme was visiting 

the Museum of Carriages and handicrafts 

presentation in the municipality of Żórawina. 

Granary in Gałowice is a counting collection 

of horse vehicles. Over 50 carriages, britzkas, 

omnibuses, volantes, landaus, fire vehicles and 

Press conference after 

the meeting of the 

ministers of agriculture 

in Wrocław. From the 

left: Chairman of the 

Committee on Agriculture 


of the European Parliament 

Paolo De Castro, Minister 

of Agriculture and Rural 

Development Marek 

Sawicki and Commissioner 

for Agriculture and Rural 

Development Dacian Ciolos 

Autumn 2011 7


Meeting participants 

visiting the Jaworek 

vineyards 

sleds have been gathered here. Granary building 

dates from the eighteenth century and is a 

part of manor farm buildings complex. 

Further the delegation went to Miękinia to 

visit the vineyard Jaworek, which was founded 

in 2001. It is a family vineyard, where traditions 

are cultivated dating back to the thirteenth 

century. The vineyard grows over 30 grape varieties 

of best species. Nearby, a winery is located, 

in which excellent grape wine brands are produced 

on the basis of grapes obtained from the 

plantation. 

The last point of the site reconnaissance was 

the visit to the farm Lesieniec, which was founded 

in 1997 on the base of the State Treasury land. 

The history of the Farm in Lesieniec goes back 

to the eighteenth century. After 1945, lands 

were taken away from the owners and state 

farms were set up. Today the farm is engaged 

in breeding pure blood Arabian horses. Guests 

viewed presentation of horses which have already 

won championships and vice championships, 

shows of vaulting and horse racing. The 

ministers could also take a look at interesting 

ways of fishing on the 

farm’s ponds. The largest 

carp landed weighed 

14 kg. There were also 

presented regional products: 

honey, homemade 

meats, cucumbers, lard, 

fruits, stuffed eggs, cheese and jam. 

Summarizing site visits Minister Sawicki said: 

“We showed our guests a variety of agriculture 

ranging from scientific achievements, through 

the vines, experimental in our climate, and ending 

with stud formed on the base of manorial 

lands taken after 1945 by the State and submitted 

to the State Farm, now successful in the field 

of breeding pure blood Arabian horses”. 

On the second day of the Informal Council, 

chaired by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural 

Development Marek Sawicki, a plenary session 

was held on the future of promotion policy of agri-food 

products in the EU and third countries in 

view of ongoing work on the announced by the 

European Commission “Green Paper on the promotion 

and information about agricultural products”. 

The meeting was attended by Ministers for 

Agriculture and Fisheries of the EU and candidate 

countries, EU Commissioner for Agriculture 

and Rural Development, Head of the Committee 

on Agriculture and Rural Development of the European 

Parliament, the Director General of the 

General Secretariat of the Council, representatives 

of agricultural organizations Copa, Cogeca 

and Young Farmers, together with the accompanying 

delegations. 

During the press conference, Commissioner 

for Agriculture and Rural Development 

Dacian Ciolos 

said: “Fair distribution 

of direct payments is a 

matter essential to the 

future of the CAP”. 

While the Chairman of the Agriculture and 

Rural Development of the European Parliament 

Paolo De Castro stressed that the 12 th October is 

a day to launch a debate on the future of the CAP. 

“Now we meet and we talk so that we will be prepared 

for it and could effectively carry it out”, said 

Chairman De Castro. 

The direction of discussions within the plenary 

session was set by the document prepared by 

the Presidency on the basis of the Green Paper, 

containing three questions relating to the objectives 

that the promotion and information policy 

is to implement on the internal and external 

market, and measures for their implementation. 

The exchange of views focused mainly on promotion 

and information activities that should 

be implemented to strengthen the position of 

European agriculture, the role of Member States 

and the European Commission in the selection 

of programs co-financed within the mechanism 

of promotion, as well as the level of co-financing. 

The participants of meeting agreed that efforts 

should be made to develop a common concept of 

8 

Autumn 2011


effective instruments that allow the maximum 

use of resources devoted to the promotion and 

allow the implementation of coherent aims of 

promotion policy. These instruments should also 

enhance the image of European agriculture and 

allow the presentation of European food products 

as good for health, safe, of high quality and 

manufactured in accordance with respect for the 

environment and animal welfare. 

On the margins of the Informal Council took 

place the tripartite meeting of the chairman of 

EU Council for Agriculture and Fisheries Marek 

Sawicki, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and 

Rural Development Dacian Ciolos and chairman 

of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural 

Development of EP Paolo De Castro. During the 

meeting, at the request of Minister Sawicki, all 

agreed to organize a debate on the European 

Common Agricultural Policy with the participation 

of not only politicians but also research- 

ers and farmers. At the same time an informal 

meeting of the Spacial Committee on Agriculture 

(SCA) was held. 

Arrival to Wroclaw of EU guest was an opportunity 

for the presentation of Polish agriculture 

and Polish food, Polish regional products. “We 

have tried to present what is characteristic for Poland: 

multiculturalism and the dynamism of the 

large city of Wrocław, tradition and history, which 

symbolizes the castle in Książ; charm and richness 

of the countryside, where not only corn and 

potatoes, but also grape varieties are grown”, said 

Minister Marek Sawicki. 

Informal meeting of Ministers for Agriculture 

and Fisheries in country holding the Presidency is 

held by each EU Member State holding the Presidency 

of the EU Council. 

Press Office 

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development 

30 th Conference of directors of 

EU paying agencies 

Within the Polish presidency of EU Council, 30 th Conference of Directors of EU 

Paying Agencies took place in Sopot on 21 st -23 rd September 2011. It was held by 

Agricultural Market Agency (AMA) and Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation 

of Agriculture (ARMA). Representatives of management of paying agencies 

and coordinating bodies of Member States participated in the conference. 

The session was attended by delegates of EU 

institutions: European Commission, European 

Court of Auditors and European Anti-Fraud 

Office (OLAF). Representatives of Ministries of 

Agriculture of candidate countries: Croatia and 

Turkey were the observers. Over 150 people took 

part in the session. 

The main theme was simplification of the 

common agricultural policy and reduction of 

associated with its implementation administrative 

burden on beneficiaries and competent 

bodies. Presentations and discussion concerned 

the simplification of EU legislation in connection 

with the work on the new shape of the CAP after 

2013, and the solutions implemented in the 

Member States. 

Opening of the session. From the right: President of ARMA, Tomasz Kołodziej, 

Undersecretary of State at MARD, Tadeusz Nalewajk, President of AMA, Władysław Łukasik, 

Vice-President of AMA, Lucjan Zwolak 

Autumn 2011 9


Substantive discussion 

during thematic 

workshops 

The conference was opened by Tadeusz Nalewajk 

– Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of 

Agriculture and Rural Development. In his speech 

the Minister stressed that among the priorities 

of the Polish presidency of the EU Council is 

strengthening and improving the effectiveness of 

the CAP facing new challenges for the agri-food 

sector in the EU and worldwide. He expressed 

the opinion that reducing 

administrative burdens for 

farmers benefiting from 

the CAP mechanisms is an 

indispensable condition for 

simplification of the CAP as 

well as for its modernization. 

He also reminded that Polish paying agencies 

AMA and ARMA actively participate the discussions 

on simplification of the CAP at the level 

of EU institutions. 

Moderator of the conference was Władysław 

Łukasik – President of the Agricultural Market 

Agency. 

The agenda included plenary sessions and two 

workshops. 

In plenary sessions their speeches made the 

representatives of the European Union and 

Member States' paying agencies. Patricia Bugnot 

– Director of Audit of agricultural expenditure 

in DG Agriculture and Rural Development (DG 

AGRI) presented the assumptions of currently 

being prepared legal basis for implementation 

of the Common Agricultural Policy in terms of 

budget. 

In the speech on the new approach of the 

European Court of Auditors (ECA) to assess the 

manner of spending the EU funds on agriculture, 

representatives of the ECA – Edward Fennessy 

and Michael Zenner presented the proposals 

for changes in the process of certification by the 

ECA veracity of the accounts of agricultural funds 

managed by DG AGRI. 

Presentation of the European Anti-Fraud Office 

(OLAF) representative, Louis Smeets concerned 

the actions of OLAF in the fight against fraud and 

irregularities in the disbursement of funds from 

the EU agricultural funds. 

Presentations of the Member States during 

the plenary sessions were devoted to activities 

towards the optimization and simplification and 

improvement in implementation of mechanisms 

of the CAP. 

The representative of the Netherlands, Maarten 

Smorenburg informed on the progress of work of 

Learning Network, the informal group of 12 paying 

agencies of Member States. This initiative 

intends conducting a detailed analysis and the 

formulation of requests for simplification of the 

future CAP from the perspective of implementation 

at a practical level. 

The representative of Spain, Fernando Miranda 

Sortillos – supervising the work of the paying 

agencies in Spain – presented the results of analysis 

of the costs of executing 

direct payments. 

Representative of the Polish 

Agency for Restructuring 

and Modernisation of Agriculture 

(ARMA) Robert Pośnik 

presented the actions taken 

to optimize the process of managing direct payments 

in Poland. These included implementation 

of an integrated IT system, modifying the 

Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) and optimization 

of on-the-spot checks. 

Optimization of activities of the paying agencies 

by using IT applications was the topic of 

Alexandru Constantinescu of Romanian Agricultural 

Payment and Intervention Agency (APIA). 

Opportunities to reduce costs borne by paying 

agencies on implementing the CAP mechanisms 

through actions at the national level were the 

subject of speeches of representatives of Denmark 

– Arent Bak Josefsen (Director General of the Danish 

Food Industry Agency), Bulgaria – Martnia Pavlova 

(from the National Fund for Agriculture) and 

Poland – Anna Bogusz (the Agricultural Market 

Agency). 

Presentation of the Hanns-Christoph Eiden 

of the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food of 

Germany concerned the control and simplification 

of the CAP mechanisms in terms of reducing 

the administrative burden. 

10 

Autumn 2011


Anna Reps-Bednarczyk form AMA (Office of Milk 

Production Quota) presented a demand to reduce 

the control in the mechanism of milk production 

quota in respect of decrease of the risk of exceeding 

quotas or any irregularity in the mechanism. 

Issues of simplifying and reducing administrative 

burdens in the mechanism of direct payments 

and preparation for the reform of the Implementation 

of the CAP have been discussed in 

detail at two workshops conducted by ARMA (in 

cooperation with Spain) and ARR (in cooperation 

with Great Britain). 

Among the conclusions of the workshop no. 

1 there was a proposition of introduction of online 

applications with the application allowing 

for identification of plots, implementation of the 

simplified system for small farms and replacing 

part of on-the-spot checks by administrative controls. 

During the workshop no. 2, a need for more 

intensive cooperation of the European Commission 

with paying agencies in creating the legal 

framework of the CAP was pointed out, requested, 

among others, for providing in the regulations the 

appropriate time for the implementation of new 

mechanisms and for reducing the number of inspections 

carried out while increasing their quality. 

A need was noticed to increase transparency of 

regulations, including the introduction of precise 

definitions, which would limit the development of 

interpretative notes by the EC. 

The conference was summarized by the President 

of AMA – Władysław Łukasik. 

Before the end of the conference, representatives 

of the European Commission and Member States’ 

delegations, thanked for its excellent organization, 

a good selection of topics of plenary sessions and 

workshops, and a high level of discussions. 

The next conference of Directors of EU Paying 

Agencies will be held in Horsens, Denmark on 

19 th -21 st June 2012. 

Materials from the Conference are available 

on the website www.arr.gov.pl in the “30 Conference 

of Directors of EU Paying Agencies”. 

Office of International Cooperation 

Agricultural Market Agency 

The energy use of biomass 

The energy use of biomass originating from agriculture as an important element 

of the Common Agricultural Policy – that was a subject of the conference 

organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on 16 th of July 

this year in Sopot. 

The Conference was held in the frame of Polish 

Presidency of the Council of the European 

Union and was part of realization of sectoral priority: 

“Biomass, the renewable resources – as an 

element of improvement of the energy security 

and economical development of the EU”. 

The Minister, Marek Sawicki, while opening the 

conference stated that: “In regulating the agricultural 

markets the Common Agricultural Policy has 

failed. It is not capable to respond actively to the 

ongoing processes. Today the price differences for 

farmers are dependent on speculative activities 

conducted by large corporations. We still remain in 

the convention of the same thinking. Today, when 

we have the growing food demands of the world, 

we are not ready to meet them fully”. He noted 

that renewable energy should be an important element 

of the CAP. “There is no energy source that 

would cover 100% of our needs, so once again we 

Opening of the conference entitled “The energy use of 

biomass originating from agriculture as an important 

element of the CAP” 

Autumn 2011 11


Conference participants 

at the plenary session 

return to the distributed energy. And here we are 

to compete with coal and oil monopoly. Therefore, 

proposing bio-energy is not easy. The old power industry 

is accustomed to high power transmission 

and low energy sources do not really fit it. It needs 

to be considered while producing bio-energy onsite 

to use an existing small-scale infrastructure. 

It should also be specified 

where the limits of the 

import and transport of 

biomass are”, the minister 

said and stressed the need 

to consider whether the 

importation of biomass to 

Europe from other regions of the world has any 

sense in the context of the least polluting the atmosphere 

by emitting large amounts of CO 2 

. 

The conference was attended by deputy ministers 

of agriculture of the Member States, representatives 

of the Council, the European Commission 

and European Parliament, as well as 

representatives of science, agencies from the 

area of agriculture and the provincial and local 

government. 

The discussion included issues related to the 

development of renewable energy sources in 

rural areas and the use of Community biomass 

resources from agricultural sources for energy 

purposes. An important element of the meeting 

was to continue discussions on how to improve 

the competitiveness of Community agriculture 

by developing, in the area of the investments related 

to renewable energy sources. 

“The primary goal of agriculture is and will 

be the production of healthy, safe food to feed 

all people. Bioenergy production may, however, 

constitute only a sideline, which is a supplement 

to agricultural income and primarily using byproducts 

and residues from post-production. One 

should also be aware that this is only a temporary 

source of energy production. Soon, through scientific 

and technical achievements, we will have a 

chance to use other, simpler and more competitive 

sources of it”, Minister Sawicki said. 

During the discussion, it was stated e.g. that: 

The implementation of an important objective 

of the Common Agricultural Policy as enshrined 

in Article 33 of the Treaty of Rome which 

is to “Ensure a satisfactory standard of living of 

the rural population, especially by increasing the 

individual earnings of persons engaged in agriculture” 

requires the creation of conditions to 

fully utilize production capacity owned or available 

to the farmers and is made possible by: 

Active Common Agricultural Policy supporting 

the development of production and exporting 

to the third countries of processed agricultural 

products surplus; 

Use of energy purposes of locally available byproducts 

and residues from agriculture, agroindustry 

and food; 

Support for agricultural 

crops (not competing with 

food markets), dedicated to 

energy purposes; 

Support to farmers and rural 

residents interested in using 

the local agricultural biomass 

for energy purposes. 

Not only does the Common Agricultural Policy, 

but also the cohesion policy and energy policy 

should encourage the development of distributed 

power facilities, using the agricultural biomass, 

the demand of which for raw materials for 

energy production results from the productive 

potential of the farm or group of farms. At the 

same time those farms shall be able to manage 

on their own remains after the renewable energy 

production. Only such an approach is a guarantee 

of reducing greenhouse gases emissions 

and protect the environment and biodiversity. 

Analysis of data (FAOSTAT) indicates that over 

the past 18 years the Community's agricultural 

production potential was reduced by about 10 

million ha of agricultural land and in the same 

period, global production capacity only in 15 selected 

countries (non EU) increased by about 100 

million ha of arable agricultural products. Community 

Forest area increased by about 25 million 

hectares, while in 15 selected countries (non EU) 

fell by about 150 million ha. 

12 

Autumn 2011


The analysis of economic events taking place 

shows that the realized climate and energy policy 

and the Common Agricultural Policy encourage 

the import to the Community of processed and 

unprocessed agricultural biomass, which then 

is used for energy purposes. Therefore the assertion 

that the existing Community activities can 

contribute, or at least do not prevent the adverse 

climate effects, such us deforestation in tropical 

and subtropical areas seems eligible. 

We did receive with a great concern the expert’s 

analysis, indicating a further increase in 

the import of biomass for energy purposes in 

the perspective of 2020. Occurring situation of 

an economic nature, referred to in paragraph 5, 

provides a sufficient basis for reflection, an extended 

analysis and development of effective 

actions. Criteria for sustainable biomass production 

must be rigorously respected, not only 

within the use of biomass for energy purposes 

produced within the Community territory, but 

also an important part of inspection procedures 

for its import into the Community. The implementation 

of the climate and energy policy and 

the CAP should not even 

indirectly encourage expansion 

of the agricultural area 

at the expense of forests in 

the third countries. 

The objectives, within 

the scope of climate protection, 

and consequently the development of 

renewable energy sources (RES), defined for the 

Community, shall: 

Result from the availability of biomass in the 

Community and include the economically justifiable 

distance at which the biomass shall be 

transported – for example, the heat transfer 

from the central source is justified by the maximum 

distance of 20-30 km; 

Take into account the socially acceptable level 

of support for RES: 

– One-off at the stage of investment (taxpayers), 

– Long-term at the operation stage (consumers 

– higher cost of energy); 

Take into account the socially accepted proximity 

of sources of the renewable energy generation. 

Realization of climate objectives, improvement 

of energy security and an important factor 

to encourage rural development can be achieved 

through the development of distributed renewable 

energy, using locally available raw materials 

(biomass) and other renewable energy sources 

(wind, water, etc.) properly set: 

Investment support for in renewable distributed 

RES under the cohesion policy and in the 

second pillar of the CAP; 

Support to the stage of investment and operation 

shall be limited to the objects that solve environmental 

social and economic problems, – we cannot 

support objects that generate such problems; 

The simplification of the administrative procedures 

for the Community is desired. 

The Common Agricultural Policy should actively 

promote and favor the development of 

renewable energy, agricultural biomass, in particular 

in the mini and micro scale, and, where 

possible, regional agricultural biogas plants that 

produce energy using by-products and residues 

from agriculture and promote agro-industry reducing 

greenhouse gases emissions, as well as 

reduce the costs of agricultural production. The 

quick and active involvement of the Common 

Agricultural Policy to the objectives set out in the 

climate and energy policy and the interrelation of 

these policies seems reasonable. It shall be an important 

action to consider the possible modification 

of Annex 1 to the Treaty of Rome, which must 

take into account, inter alia, 

the possibility of energy use 

of biomass, especially agricultural 

biogas production. 

The CAP in conjunction 

with climate, energy and 

financial assistance policies 

should positively affect the development of the 

agricultural sector, increase the energy security 

and environmental protection; 

The CAP has implemented at the appropriate 

level the standards, favorable to climate and 

environmental protection, therefore there is no 

legitimate need to develop it at the farmer level, 

beyond that what is implemented in the member 

states, control measures for the sustainable 

production of biomass for energy purposes. 

There are no economic and climatic conditions 

to develop renewable sources of energy 

(due to their specificity) as a copy of the corporate 

electricity system. Scattered RES should 

complement and/or replace the electric power 

system especially in rural areas. 

We all need to be aware that substitution 

of the import of fossil energy carriers with the 

import of biomass does not improve the energy 

security of the Community and individual Member 

States, and brings at least doubtful effects to 

climate protection and reduction of greenhouse 

gases emissions. 

Autumn 2011 13


The RES, especially biomass-based, is not 

only an opportunity for agriculture, but also an 

opportunity for occurring in most of the Member 

States problems hindering the full use of 

available by-products and residues from agriculture 

and agricultural processing for energy 

purposes. 

In rural areas, we do not use renewable energy 

sources at a level resulting both from its 

potential, as well as the scale of existing needs. 

We are committed to quickly assessment of 

all the effects generated by the existing rules for 

the use of renewable energy sources use, and 

of its correction according to the needs, so that 

the revised objectives and principles of their implementation 

encouraged the implementation 

of all the objectives defined in the climate and 

energy policy. 

An important activity of the Community 

should be to support research activities and the 

implementation of new biomass technologies 

which are not competing with the food markets. 

Rational use of distributed renewable energy 

sources is an opportunity for revenue growth 

in agriculture, rural development and a significant 

share of the agricultural sector in achieving 

the objectives set out climate and energy 

policy.We must do everything to exploit this opportunity. 

Press Office 


APA International Seminar 

On the 5 th of September this year an international seminar on “The functioning 

of state institutions managing agricultural land in the European Union” 

organized by the Agricultural Property Agency (APA) was held in Warsaw. 

It was a part of the agenda of international meetings connected with 

the overtaking the Presidency of the Council of the European Union by Poland 

in the second half of 2011. 

The seminar, which gathered some 150 

representatives of the Polish parliament, 

the Chancellery of the President, Polish 

and foreign ministries of agriculture as well as 

the nationally and internationally recognized 

research and scientific institutes and agricultural 

universities, was aimed to exchange the 

views on the rational management of continuously 

decreasing acreage of agricultural land 

in Europe, with particular emphasis on EU 

Member States. 

Opening the conference, Mr Tomasz Nawrocki, 

President of the Agricultural Property 

Agency, pointed out that the limited resources 

of agricultural land coupled with intensive agricultural 

production and the rapid civilization 

development causes that trading of the agricultural 

land is subject to specific regulations in 

the majority of European countries. The public 

institutions or institutions strictly controlled by 

the state are in charge of the agricultural land 

management, including their privatization, 

mainly within the “new” Member States. 

The words of the APA President were 

confirmed in the presentations and 

speeches of guests from abroad. 

A particularly interesting reference to the 

activities of the Agricultural Property Agency 

was presented by the Wolf-Gerrit Vollert, Head 

of the German Land Use and Management Society 

(BVVG), responsible for the management 

of state land in the five Lands of Eastern Germany. 

The experience in the privatization of stateowned 

land in Lithuania was shared with the 

participants of the seminar by Vilma Daugaliene, 

Director of the Department of Agriculture 

and Rural Development, Ministry of 

Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania. During 

her presentation, “The integration of land management 

in agricultural and rural development 

in Lithuania”, she repeatedly pointed out that 

currently the main goal of privatization of land 

in Lithuania is to improve the efficiency of agricultural 

land use. 

14 

Autumn 2011


The unquestionable phenomenon from the 

perspective of land management and development 

of agriculture in Europe is the Netherlands, 

which is part of the world's leading 

exporters of agricultural products. Toine van 

Poppel, Counsellor for Agriculture, Nature and 

Food Quality Netherlands Embassy in Warsaw 

did speak during the seminar about the specific 

Dutch solutions in the 

field of agricultural land 

management. 

Alexandre Martinez, 

Counselor for Agriculture 

at the Embassy of the Republic 

of France made a 

presentation during the 

seminar on the 50-year experience in land management 

in France, on the example of activities 

of the Association for Planning and Settlement 

(SAFER). The French solution targeted on the 

support for young farmers in creation and development 

of farms using state funds seemed 

to be particularly valuable. 

Extremely broad and complex analysis of issues 

of ownership transformations in Polish agriculture 

in the last 20 years was presented by APA 

President Tomasz Nawrocki, in the presentation 

“The Role of the Agricultural Property Agency in 

the management of agricultural land in Poland”. 

He pointed out that such broad and diverse tasks 

as APA is responsible for, were not performed by 

any institution in the field of ownership transformation 

in Poland over the last 20 years. Today 

the Agency, having acreage of more than 2 million 

acres of state land with a huge market value, 

still plays a significant role in land management, 

including the investment and creation of biological 

progress in strategic companies owned by the 

State Treasury, which are under its ownership supervision. 

The particular importance for Polish agriculture 

of these 47 companies dealing with plant 

and animal breeding was a subject of speech of 

Sławomir Pietrzak, the Vice President of APA. Many 

times during the presentation he pointed out that 

these companies not only have a significant impact 

on the level and size of Polish farms grow 

as well as the state animal 

breeding policy, but also 

have a role in protecting the 

most valuable genetic material, 

which forms the basis 

for the implementation of 

national breeding programs. 

During two panel discussions, 

which were led by professor assoc. Andrzej 

Kowalski, Director of the Institute of Agricultural 

Economics and Food Economy, the seminar participants 

discussed mainly the priorities in the 

activities of agricultural land management institutions 

in different countries, as well as the importance 

and role of the leases for the operation 

of a sustainable and efficient agriculture. 

Summarizing the seminar, President of APA 

said that the knowledge gained on the functioning 

of state institutions managing the land in 

the EU countries, cannot only have the theoretical 

significance, but also – what is even a bigger 

advantage – is likely to find practical solutions 

in the future. President Tomasz Nawrocki noted 

also that the September conference starts a series 

of meetings summarizing 20 years of the 

Agricultural Property Agency. 

Grażyna Kapelko 

Spokesperson 

Agricultural Property Agency 

Discussion 

of the participants 

in the seminar 

on legal regulations 

in trade in land 

Autumn 2011 15


International conference 

on soil organic matter 

Minister Marek Sawicki 

summarised the discussion 

on soil organic resources 

On 21 st September 2011, international conference on “Soil Organic Matter 

– The old truth and new challenges” was held in Brussels. It was organised 

by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Marek Sawicki and DG Research 

and Innovation of the European Commission. 

The merits and the schedule of the Conference 

were prepared by the Institute of Soil 

Science and Plant Cultivation – State Research 

Institute in Puławy. The Conference, opened by 

Minister Marek Sawicki, was attended by more 

than 150 participants from most European Union 

Member States representing major scientific 

institutions and administration. 

The following speakers made their presentations: 

Tomasz Stuczyński (Institute of Soil Science 

and Plant Cultivation – State Research Institute 

Pulawy, Poland), Jan Kuś 

(Institute of Soil Science 

and Plant Cultivation – 

State Research Institute 

Pulawy, Poland), Oene 

Oenema & Peter Kuikman 

(Wageningen University, 

Holland), Sławomir Gacka (Stowarzyszenie EkosystEM 

– Dziedzictwo Natury), Franz Makeschin 

(Dresden University of Technology), Luca Marmo 

(European Commission Environment Directorate-General), 

Massimo Burioni (European Commission, 

Research & Innovation DG, Biotechnologies, 

Agriculture and Food. 

The purpose of Brussels Conference was to turn 

the attention of European public opinion, and 

most of all the administration, to issues related to 

the content and significance of soil organic matter 

in the context of progressing climate change. 

These issues are particularly important in Poland, 

as the content of humus in our soils is low and 

still decreasing, while soil 

acidification is high. 

During the one day Conference, 

up-to-date information 

on the status and directions 

of changes in organic 

matter (OM) content in European 

soils was presented. Apart from the typically 

productive functions of humus, the issues 

related to possibilities of soil carbon sequestration 

were discussed, as they are important for 

greenhouse effect mitigation. The speakers also 

highlighted the potential ability of humus to 

gather and retain water and the role it can consequently 

have in prevention and mitigation of 

droughts and floods that have affected the entire 

Europe so severely. 

The Conference was a good opportunity to 

sum up and evaluate the effects of agri-environmental 

actions carried out so far aimed at keeping 

and restoring the resources of soil organic 

matter. It also sent a straightforward message 

to decision-makers on the need to develop new, 

more effective instruments based on current agricultural 

and technical knowledge and practice. 

In conclusion of the conference prof. Wiesław 

Oleszek (from Institute of Soil Science and Plant 

Cultivation, State Research Institute Puławy, Poland) 

said: “Soil and land management research 

is important basis for the success of bio-based- 

16 

Autumn 2011


Discussion participants 

represented all EU 

Member States 

economy in Europe and the World. Soil organic 

matter has been one of the essential drivers for 

the ability of soil to perform its functions-e.g. biomass 

production, retention, filtering and buffering, 

biodiversity”. 

During last decades the 

gradual loss of soil organic 

matter has been observed 

in many areas of Europe. 

Major factors negatively 

affecting the balance of 

soil organic matter in last period are: 

increased mineralization due to ground water 

level decline, 

lower biomass input due to monocultures, 

a decrease of perennial forage crops in the 

cropping structure, 

changes in tillage practices – degradation of 

soil structure and physical quality, 

expansion of farming systems based on 

crop production with no animal production, 

urbanization of best quality agricultural 

soils – lowering global OM pool and sequestration 

potential of agriculture. 

Consequences of organic matter decline are: 

increased levels of atmospheric CO 2 

(GHG 

effect), 

soil erosion, 

soil compaction, 

nutrients leaching, 

biodiversity decline, 

decline of overall productivity, 

pressure on productivity loss compensation 

measures – increased inputs. 

There is very strong demand for intensified 

research cooperation between scientific institutions 

and key target players in Europe. There 

should be more coherence in policies as regard 

organic carbon management. 

More quantitative 

and verified assessment 

of OM content and decline 

across Europe is needed. 

A consolidation and verification 

of quantitative data 

on the impact of various management practices 

on OM pool is urgently needed for different 

physio-geographic regions in Europe. 

Region specific policies and instruments mitigating 

OM decline in European soils should be 

developed. 

Need for specific instrument – paying for the 

value of OM. 

Worth of consideration and analysis is a policy 

support for: 

traditional crop rotation systems including 

grass mixtures with leguminous plants, 

green manures, 

reduced tillage systems-need critical review 

in socio-economic and environmental context, 

improvement of water retention in a landscape 

and wetlands in particular”. 

All Conference materials are available at: 

www.soilconference.eu. 

Institute of Soil Science 

and Plant Cultivation 

– State Research Institute (IUNG) in Puławy 

Autumn 2011 17

Trends and forecasts 

The impact of the EU 

membership on the Polish 

agricultural sector 

Poland’s accession to the EU in 2004 meant an important change in the economic 

conditions of production for Poland’s agriculture. The methods of support 

for this sector as well as the range and conditions of intervention on basic 

agricultural markets were changed. 

Thanks to EU support, 

Polish rural areas become 

more and more beautiful 

At this time new possibilities for taking advantage 

of export subsidies were introduced 

and barriers to foreign trade of agricultural 

and food products with EU countries were 

removed. New forms of the support for agriculture 

in form of direct payments and structure 

funds were implemented. 

Farmers as a social group were able to use 

fastest European Community support and highlighted 

the importance as an asset agriculture 

is as a sector. 

The well prepared Polish agriculture ready to 

face competition on a single European market 

enabled Polish products not only to have access 

to the vast European market, but improved the 

competitiveness of the whole agricultural sector 

as well. 

Over the last decade, adjustments of the sector 

to extremely high standard requirements of 

the European Union were conducted in various 

areas. The most costly and complicated was to 

fulfil the standards in the production and processing 

of animal products, veterinary, meat processing 

and in dairying. The adjustment to EU 

standards enabled these products not only to access 

the Single Market but improved the general 

competitive position of Polish agriculture. 

The EU support programmes – Phare and 

SAPARD created the opportunity to speed up 

the introduction of necessary changes and improve 

the competitiveness while still in a preaccession 

period. The SAPARD programme was 

the first EU program to support the development 

of agriculture and rural areas in Poland. 

Further programmes for the agricultural and 

food industry were effectively implemented after 

Poland’s accession to the EU, and included 

the Sectoral Operational Programme for 2004- 

2006, the Rural Development Plan 2004-2006 

and the Rural Development Plan 2007-2013. 

These directed significant funds to the sector 

and supported the further development and 

modernisation of Polish agriculture, its food industries 

and rural areas. 

18 

Autumn 2011


Number of holdings and 

agrarian structure 

The period after Poland’s accession to the EU 

(i.e. after 2004) was characterised by a decrease 

in the overall number of agricultural holdings. 

In particular a significant decrease in the number 

of the smallest holdings of less than 1 ha. 

According to the data method of the Central 

Statistical Office, in 2009, the overall number 

of agricultural holdings in Poland was more 

than 2.5 million. In comparison to 2003, their 

number had decreased by 12.1%. The largest 

group (40.4%) included agricultural holdings 

with an utilised land of 1-5 ha. Small holdings 

play relatively less significant role in terms of 

productivity, but they are very important for 

providing environmental and social functions, 

however, the profitability of their production is 

low. In 2009, the number of agricultural holdings 

in the group of up to 10 ha area also decreased, 

whereas it increased in the remaining 

statistical groups. It shows a decrease in the 

number of holdings of the smallest land group 

(up to 1 ha) by 5.5%, and an increase in the 

holdings of 10-30 ha (by 1.6%), 30-50 ha (by 

0.3%) and 50-100 ha (by 0.2%). 

In view of these changes to the agrarian 

structure, the initial results of the National Agriculture 

Census of 2010 are worth examining. 

According to this Census, the number of agricultural 

holdings of more than 1 ha agrarian 

land amounts to 1,583,000. This in comparison 

to the previous census of 2002, shows a decrease 

of 373,000 holdings, (i.e. by 19.1%). The 

most significant decrease in the number of agricultural 

holdings (by 22.7% in comparison to 

2002) was recorded among the smallest holdings 

of 1-5 ha of utilised land, the number of 

the largest holdings grew significantly: in the 

group of 30-50 ha of arable land by 11.0%, and 

in the group of more than 50 ha by 28.8%. 

The larger farms hold an important position 

in overall production and their most important 

challenge, in the future, will be to further 

increase their competitiveness, continue to be 

innovative and also now adjust to production 

under changing environmental conditions and 

higher animal welfare standards. 

The initial results of the Census from 2010 

indicates also that the average area of an agricultural 

holding of more than 1ha of arable land 

now amounts to 9.5 ha, which indicates an increase 

of 13% in comparison to 2002. 

Employment in the rural areas 

The early years of Polish membership of the 

EU coincided with a very good economic climate. 

This was reflected in a high employment rate, a 

lower unemployment rate as well as an acceleration 

of the process of moving away from semi 

subsistence agriculture. Additionally, Poland’s 

accession to the EU resulted in a significant increase 

in the labour migration, which positively 

influenced the Polish labour market, especially 

agricultural. From 2003 there has been important 

change on the local labour market in rural 

areas. In 2009, the unemployment rate in rural 

areas was 8.0%, which indicated, in comparison 

to 2003, a decrease of 9.8%. 

Urban migration was the main reason for 

changes in employment in the rural areas. 

Urban migration was a trend first analysed in 

2000 when an inflow of people from the rural 

areas was higher than the outflow to cities, 

was maintained. In 2009, over 41,000 people, 

across the country, moved from cities to the 

countryside. 

Prices of the agricultural land 

There were dynamic changes on the agricultural 

property market noted after Poland’s 

accession to the EU in 2004. The agricultural 

land market in Poland can be divided into two 

segments: the first relates to the trade in private 

agricultural land, and the second the privatisation 

of state land which is sold and leased 

by the Agricultural Property Agency (APA). At 

UE funds allowed 

to modernise equipment 

of Polish holdings 

Autumn 2011 19


Polish processing 

industry applies 

state-of-the-art 

production technologies 

the beginning of the 90s, this Institution took 

over more than 4.7 million ha of state owned 

land from the Agricultural Property Stock of the 

State Treasury. During the process of privatisation, 

the Agency has sold over 1.5 million ha. The 

current state assets of agricultural property still 

includes approximately 2.1 million ha of which 

1.6 million ha is being leased. There about 310 

thousand ha, mainly of low agricultural usefulness 

remaining to be disposed of and under the 

management of the agency. 

Analysis of the data of the Central Statistic 

Office shows that the average price of the arable 

land traded privately has significantly grown 

in the last years. In 2003, prior to accession, 

the price of 1 ha of farmland averaged to PLN 

5,753/ha, by 2004 this had increased by over 

15% up to PLN 6,634/ha, whereas at the end 

of 2010, it now averages PLN 18,000 (Chart 1, 

page 61). At the end of 2010, the highest prices 

for the farm land were noted in the voivodeships 

of Greater Poland and Kujawy-Pomerania 

(28,600 and 26,500 PLN/ha, respectively). 

A similar increase was observed in the trade 

of land of the Agricultural Property Agency. 

Before accession in 2003, the average price of 

arable land being sold by the APA averaged to 

3,737 PLN/ha, and a year later grew by 25% 

up to 4,682 PLN/ha. A significant increase in 

prices (of 26%) was noted in 2007-2009. On 

the other hand, the prices of land being sold 

by the APA in 2010 were only 1.3% higher than 

those of 2009. 

In 2010, the average price of former state 

owned land was approximately PLN 15,000 

with the highest prices in the voivodeships 

of Łódź (PLN 20,724), Opole (PLN 20,271) and 

Greater Poland (PLN 19,962), whereas the lowest 

levels in Lubuskie (PLN 10,529) and Podlaskie 

(PLN 10,994). 

Organic agricultural production 

Organic farming, as a branch of agricultural 

production, since Poland’s accession to the EU, 

has shown particular dynamic development. 

There are advantageous agricultural and environmental 

conditions for organic agriculture 

to develop in the Country. The use of chemical 

inputs in Polish agriculture has always been 

lower than in that of the majority of other European 

countries contributing to the organic 

quality of production in agriculture and richness 

of biodiversity. 

Recent development of organic agriculture is 

shown to have stable growth dynamics of both 

the number of organic holdings and the range 

of crops grown organically – Charts 1, 2, page 61. 

In 2003, organic farming occupied 61,200 ha 

on 2,286 agricultural holdings. Data as of the 

end of 2010, shows that the area had grown to 

518,500 ha and there were 20,956 organically 

registered holdings. The highest numbers of organic 

holdings were in the voivodeships of West 

Pomerania (2,392), Warmia-Mazury (2,288) and 

Lesser Poland (2,183). 

In terms of area registered as organically 

farmed, in 2010, the largest area of organically 

managed farm land was in the West Pomerania 

Voivodeship (100,200 ha), Warmia-Mazury 

Voivodeship (76,700 ha), Mazovia Voivodeship 

(44,700 ha) and the Podlasie Voivodeship 

(42,700 ha). The total area of 528,500 ha of organically 

managed farm land, in 2010 was 25% 

bigger than in 2009. 

According to Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection 

(IJHARS) data, in 2003-2010, the level 

organically managed farm land had increased 

8.5 times and, at present, constitutes around 

2.8% of the total agricultural area in Poland. The 

average area of an organic holdings amounts to 

more than 25 ha with the country’s average at 

a level of around 10 ha for conventional farm 

holdings. 

20 

Autumn 2011


The competitiveness 

of the agricultural and food sector 

It is estimated that there is a significant potential 

competitiveness advantage of Polish agricultural 

holdings, over other EU countries with 

similar environmental farming conditions. Due to 

a necessity to adjust the agricultural holdings to 

EU standards with regard to environmental protection 

and the improvement of animal welfare, 

within the last years, the processes of modernisation 

of agricultural holdings have been substantially 

accelerated. 

Currently, Poland is competitive in those 

branches of agricultural production which require 

a great amount of labour and land, which 

are labour consuming and which are difficult to 

be mechanised at the same time (in particular 

the production of fruit and vegetables). The main 

source of competitive advantage of Polish holdings 

is their lower prices. Poland has significant 

advantages with regard to prices in agriculture 

related to the production of cattle for slaughter, 

poultry and milk, whereas a smaller advantage 

can be observed for crop production, and a 

changeable and small advantage in the production 

of pork meat. 

Important elements in the building of the 

competitive position of Polish agricultural sector 

in the nearest future include: the high quality 

of agriculture products manufactured using 

environmentally friendly methods, a low level of 

environment degradation and a great landscape 

value, relatively high levels of biodiversity and the 

promoting of activities which unite agricultural 

producers (agricultural producers’ groups). 

Today, the competitiveness of Polish 

agricultural and food sector can be assessed 

as quite high. As a result of Poland’s 

EU accession, Polish food industry 

is distinguished as being modern, which 

provides a durable foundation for the 

further development of the sector and 

strengthens its position on the single 

European market. 

This is evidenced by the positive balance of the 

foreign trade in Polish food and agricultural products 

and the measurements of the competitive 

position of this sector. Removing the trade barriers 

in connection with Poland’s EU accession 

has shown the high price competitiveness of Polish 

food and agricultural products and resolved 

doubts that the Polish agricultural and food sector 

will fail to face the competitiveness of the highly 

developed countries. 

The dynamic development of agricultural and 

food sector is one of Poland’s most significant 

successes after the EU accession. This success in 

foreign agricultural and food products trade can 

be attributed across all food industry products 

that annually constitute around 80% of Polish 

agricultural and food exports, and generate the 

highest positive balance in agricultural and food 

products trade. 

The access to a large, well developed European 

market and the dynamic growth of Polish food export 

has influenced the strengthening of the position 

of Polish food producers on the EU market as 

well as the increase of the food sector’s importance 

for the Polish economy. Poland’s membership of 

the EU has shown that the Polish agricultural and 

food industry has competitive comparative advantage, 

which, thanks to the participation on the single 

market, can be effectively used. Among the factors 

directly contributing to the dynamic growth 

of Polish agricultural and food products export are 

the quality and health status of Polish products. 

Poland’s export offer is attractive with regard to its 

price, its safety and its good quality, all attractive to 

foreign consumers. 

Analysis of the results of foreign trade of agricultural 

and food products shows a breakaway increase 

in the export value in comparison to 2003 

(over three-fold) and a significant improvement 

of the balance of foreign trade in these products 

(six-fold). These are the best measures of Polish 

Pasture grazing favours 

organic production 

Autumn 2011 21


agricultural and food industry competitiveness. 

For a year after the EU accession, Poland transformed 

from a net importer of agricultural and 

food products into an important net exporter. 

A significant growth in the level of investment 

which was stimulated, by 

among other reasons, the use of EU aid 

programmes and counterpart funding 

and has resulted in significant improvement 

of the technical and technological 

conditions of food production as well as 

food industry productivity. 

It has been also reflected in the increase in the 

competitiveness of Polish food industry. There has 

been a processes of production concentration 

influenced the economic strength of the firms 

operating in the food industry, thanks to which, 

the subjective structure of the sector has become 

similar to the average structure of that of the EU- 

15 food industries. 

As a result of Polish agriculture’s accession to 

the EU the meat industry has become one of the 

most prominent of the developing sectors of the 

Polish food economy. This has been influenced by 

an increase in meat consumption and national 

demand, a considerable growth of foreign trade, 

an increase in meat products and the structural 

changes and modernisation of the sector. 

Also as a result of Poland’s accession to EU 

there was a reconstruction of the institutional 

framework in which producers of milk and milk 

processors had to operate. New rules changed 

both the instruments of public intervention and 

quality requirements conditioning the sale of 

products on the market. Polish producers and 

processors have fulfilled all these new conditions. 

It has been instrumental in establishing a 

competitive milk processing sector. An expanding 

tendency for milk production and prices 

resulting from the significant demand for this 

product, noted since 2009, has lead to a further 

strengthening of Poland’s position as an important 

market leader on the EU milk market. 

The number of plants certified to trade on 

the Single Market has grown dynamically. For 

example, in 2009, 45 meat and 24 milk processing 

plants, and, in 2008, 822 meat and 277 milk 

processing plants, respectively, were certified. 

Additionally companies operating in the agricultural 

and food industry sectors continue to show 

considerable investment activity. Investment 

growth that began in 2003 has been continued 

until the present. In the period 2006-2009 the 

average annual level of investment amounted 

to about 7-8 billion PLN per year, which was a 

real increase by 40-50% in their value in comparison 

to the period 2000-2002. Companies from 

the food industry concentrate their investment 

expenditure on the modernisation of their production 

potential and on increasing its effectiveness, 

which allows for a stable improvement of 

the competitiveness of the sector. 

It is not an understatement to state that Poland 

has at its disposal one of the most modern 

food industries in Europe with its products fulfilling 

all EU quality standards. 

Adam Poślednik, Agnieszka Więcek 

Agricultural Policy Analysis Unit, Foundation 

of Assistance Programmes for Agriculture(FAPA), 


Polish foreign trade in agri-food 

in the first half of 2011 

The value of turnover (total value of exports 

and imports) in the Polish external trade 

in agri-food products in the first half of 2011 

amounted to EUR 13,013 million and was 14% 

higher than in the corresponding period of 

2010. 

Export 

In the period January - June 2011, the value of 

sales of agri-food products abroad totaled EUR 

7,078 million and grew by 12.9% compared to 

the same period in 2010 (Chart 5, page 61). 

22 

Autumn 2011


In the first half of 2011 Polish animal products 

export increased considerably 

To the European Union (EU) sales increased 

by 9.8%, and to the countries of the 

former “Fifteen” by 8.6%. As to the 11 “new” 

member states the Polish food sales grew by 

13.3%. Overall, the sold goods to an EU market 

amounted to EUR 5,483 million. In the structure 

of agri-food exports the share of the EU 

countries decreased from 79.7% to 77.5%. 

The second major grouping of countries that 

has been the recipients of Polish food is the 

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). 

The value of exports to CIS countries amounted 

to EUR 765 million and compared to the first 

half of 2010 increased by 16.9%. This situation 

resulted mainly from a significant increase in 

the value of exports of pork, vegetables, mainly 

potatoes and cabbage. Sales to the CIS countries 

accounted for 10.8% of total exports of 

agri-food products, for comparison, in the first 

half of 2010 the share was slightly lower and 

amounted to 10.4%. 

Taking into account the trade with particular 

countries in the first half of 2011, the largest 

amounts of agri-food products worth about 

EUR 1,491 million were sold to Germany. In 

comparison to the same period of the year 2010 

there was an increase in exports to this market 

by 13.1%. Exports to Germany accounted for 

21.1% of the entire agri-food exports realized 

in this period. The products sold in the biggest 

amounts to the German market (in terms of 

value) were: smoked fish (mostly salmon), fruit 

juice (mainly apple juice), poultry meat, processed 

and preserved fish, biscuits, wafers and 

other bakery products, as well as milk powder, 

frozen fruit (mainly strawberries and raspberries) 

as well as cigarettes and beef. 

In the second place there was United Kingdom, 

where the sale of goods was worth 488 

million Euros. This meant an increase of 11.4% 

in comparison to the previous year and the 

share in total exports of 6.9%. To the UK mainly 

chocolate and chocolate products as well as 

poultry meat was exported. 

Another largest recipient of Polish agri-food 

products following the UK was Czech Republic. 

In the first half of this year goods sold to this 

market were worth about 469 million Euros. 

This meant that in comparison to the period 

I-VI 2010, there was a growth of 14.6% and 

the share in total exports on the level of 6.6%. 

Czech Republic was the recipient mainly of 

poultry meat, cheese, bakery 

products, cakes and pastries 

and pork. 

The further places among 

the dominant buyers of agrifood 

were taken by: Russia 

– EUR 422 million, France – 

EUR 418 million, Netherlands 

– EUR 403 million and Italy – 

EUR 387 million. 

From Poland to Russia, 

mainly apples, chocolate and 

chocolate products, frozen 

vegetables and mushrooms 

were exported. To France 

the following products were 

sold: cigarettes, vodka and 

poultry; to Italy and the Netherlands 

– cigarettes, beef and 

poultry meat. 

Comparing to the first half 

of 2010, among the most 

important trade partners, 

the largest increase in exports 

was recorded in trade 

with Turkey by 164% due to 

a growth in exports of beef 

and Belarus by 110%, due to 

higher sales of pork and apples. 

The significant increase in exports was recorded 

also for the Republic of Korea and Japan. 

In the first half of 2011, in terms of value the 

sale of cigarettes, beef, poultry meat, chocolate 

and chocolate products, pork, bakery and confectionery 

products (biscuits, wafers, etc.), sugar syrup, 

smoked fish (especially salmon), cheese and 

cottage cheese and apples has dominated. Compared 

to the first half of 2010, it is worth to emphasize 

that there was a 70% increase of export 

Rich export offer 

of Polish products 

Autumn 2011 23


Polish fresh fruits 

are delicious 

value of butter, almost 60% increase of exports of 

pork value and 43% increase in beef sales abroad, 

while exports of apples had fallen by about 13%. 

Import 

In the first half of 2011 the total value of import 

of agri-food products to Poland amounted 

to EUR 5,936 million, which meant in comparison 

to a corresponding period of 2010 an increase 

of 16.3% (Chart 6, page 61). 

Within the EU the imported goods amounted 

to EUR 4,153 million and comparing to 2010 

there was a clear increase of 17.7%. The share of 

imports from EU countries accounted for 70.0% 

of the total value of imports of agri-food products, 

and one year earlier it was 69.1%. The value 

of purchases in the 11 countries that joined 

the EU after 1 May 2004 increased by 18.8% and 

amounted approximately to EUR 581 million. 

Compared to the first half of 2010, the value 

of imports from CIS countries increased by 69% 

and amounted to EUR 177 million. In the general 

structure the import from CIS countries accounted 

for 3.0%, while last year it was only 2.1%. 

The agri-food products, which were imported 

to Poland came mainly from Germany and their 

value amounted to EUR 1,343 million. Imports 

from Germany in comparison with the previous 

year increased by 24.3% and accounted for 

22.6% of the agri-food imports in general. In the 

analyzed period the goods imported from Germany 

were mainly: pork, coffee, chocolate, pet 

food, pastries and cakes (including biscuits and 

wafers), cheese, and sugar syrup, palm oil, coffee 

concentrates and animal intestines. 

Imports from the Netherlands reached EUR 

561 million, from Spain EUR 344 million, from 

Argentina EUR 261 million, from France EUR 

260 million, from Denmark EUR 253 million, 

from Norway EUR 229 million. In addition, 

a significant share in imports was also held by 

Italy, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom 

and China. The largest increase in the value of 

imports was recorded in trade with Ukraine, Argentina, 

and Brazil, while a decrease occurred in 

relation to the U.S.A. and Ecuador. 

From the Netherlands mainly live plants, cut 

flowers and pork were imported, from Spain 

citrus fruits, tomatoes and pork, from Argentina 

– soy cake, from France, sugar, and pork from 

Denmark. 

In terms of value, the most important products 

imported to Poland in the analyzed period 

were: pork, soy cake, fresh fish, fish fillets, coffee, 

sugar syrups, pet food, raw tobacco, citrus 

and chocolate. Value of imports of goods listed 

above accounted for approximately 35% of the 

total imports of agri-food products to Poland. 

The pork imports originated mainly from Germany 

and Denmark. The largest increase in the 

value of imports in relation to first half of 2010 

was recorded in the case of sugar, whose imports 

rose more than 3 times, and which was imported 

mainly from France, Germany and Cuba. Moreover, 

also the value of imports of maize, coffee and 

palm oil increased significantly. 

Balance 

In January-June 2011 the balance of trade in 

agri-food products reached a plus of 142 million 

Euro and was 2.0% lower than in the corresponding 

period of 2010 (EUR 1,166 million). 

The balance in trade with EU countries was 

also positive and amounted to EUR 1,331 plus 

million. For comparison, in the first half of 2010 

the value was of plus EUR 1,469 million. 

The highest positive balance in trade with Poland 

was obtained by Russia (EUR 394 million), 

UK (EUR 301 million) and the Czech Republic 

(EUR 262 million). 

However, much larger imports than exports 

and thus a negative balance traditionally took 

place in trade with Argentina (EUR -260 million), 

Spain (EUR -214 million) and Norway (EUR 

-202 million). 

Department of Agricultural Markets 


24 

Autumn 2011


Beef market in Poland 

Poland is a major producer of meat in the European Union. In 2010, the 

country was the seventh producer of beef and the fourth producer of pork 

and poultry. Production of beef cattle requires specialization. 

Polish farmers are aware that the beef obtained 

in the breeding process of specialized 

breeds of beef cattle becomes a sought 

and valued product. Therefore, more and more 

breeders in Poland start meat herds. This demonstrates 

the growing interest in this production 

direction for farmers giving up their milk 

production and turning their activity towards 

production of good-quality beef. 

Active beef cow population in Poland exceeds 

25,000 animals. It is a branch of animal production 

which will develop. The development of 

this branch in Poland is fostered by appropriate 

conditions of maintenance and traditional animal 

nutrition, as well as a large proportion of 

permanent grasslands on low quality soils. This 

affects the acquisition of meat with high taste 

and culinary qualities. 

Beef production in recent years shows an 

upward tendency. Despite an increase in 

production, the consumption dropped from 

7.1 kg/person in 2000 to 3.4 kg/person in 2010 

(Chart 4, page 61). In 2000-2010, beef production 

increased by 17.5% (from 331,000 tons to 

389,000 tons) with over 52% decline 

in its consumption. 

Statistically, Poland belongs to the European 

countries with the lowest rate of beef consumption. 

Price competition from poultry and 

pork meat causes that good quality beef, and 

consequently more expensive one, is displaced 

from the consumption model. 

Number of cattle 

In 2010, the number of cattle in the European 

Union declined. The headcount of cattle decreased 

by 1.7% compared to 2009. The highest 

decline was recorded among large manufacturers 

in Italy (-9.5%) and in eastern countries of 

the EU: Romania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic 

and Hungary. In Poland, over the last year, the 

number of cattle decreased by 0.5%, so less 

than the EU average. 

In the EU countries, the highest decline was 

recorded in the young cattle category, aged 

1 – 2 years, and the lowest among calves up to 

1 year. The causes of the decrease in cattle number 

in the EU should be seen primarily in the 

large exportation of live animals. The reduction 

of the headcount is also a result 

of limitations of cows’ 

and calves’ number 

in 2008-2009. 

Autumn 2011 25


Number of cattle in Poland in 2008 – 2011 

Reporting period 

Cattle in total 

Cows, including suckler cows 

*As of December, **As of June 

Source: Central Statistical Office 

In Poland, an increase in the number of cattle 

was recorded from 2008 to June 2011. In 

June 2011, compared to June 2010, the number 

of cattle amounted to 5,761,900 animals, 

which accounts for an increase by 37,900 animals 

(0.7%) (Table). The increase in the number 

of cattle is reflected in the increase in beef 

production. 

Number in 

thousand 

Structure of 

the number 

in % 

Production 

Upward tendencies are observed when analyzing 

the industrial slaughtering of cattle, 

which is reflected in domestic production of 

beef. In 2008–2010, an average of 1.4 million 

animals were slaughtered. Slaughtering in 

the period of January to July 2011 amounted 

to 749,800 animals and was higher by 4.6% 

compared to the same period in 2010. In the 

structure of slaughtering of cattle, the following 

categories were characterized by the highest 

share: bulls – approx. 48%, cows – approx. 

36% and heifers – approx. 15%. 

In 2007, production in the slaughter weight 

amounted to 369,000 tons, and in 2008 it 

was higher by 8,000 tons (2%) compared to 

2007 and amounted to 377,000 tons. In 2009, 

beef production in the slaughter weight 

amounted to 387,000 tons and was higher by 

10,000 tons, i.e. 3% than in 2008. According 

to the CSO data, the beef production in 2010 


2,100 tons (0.5%) compared to 2009. 

Foreign trade 

Dynamics 

previous year 

= 100 

2008* 5563.6 100.00 102.9 

2009* 5590.2 100.00 100.5 

2010* 5559.5 100.00 99.5 

2011** 5761.9 100.00 100.7 

2008* 2772.0 49.8 101.2 

2009* 2678.2 47.9 96.6 

2010* 2635.5 47.4 98.4 

2011** 2473.2 45.6 99.2 

In 2008, export of cattle, beef and processed 

meat amounted in meat equivalence 

to 254,000 tons and was higher by 34,400 

tons (15.7%) than in 2007 (219,600 tons). Import 

in 2008 amounted to 14,000 tons and 

was lower by 3,000 tons than compared to 

2007. A positive balance in 2008 amounted to 

240,000 tons. 

In 2009, beef export increased and 

amounted to 295,000 tons, while the import 

amounted to 15,000 tons. The positive balance 

reached the level of 280,000 tons, and 

in 2010 it increased once again, amounting to 

318,000 tons. Export of beef in 2010 in meat 

equivalence amounted to 340,000 tons and 

was higher by 45,000 tons (15.2%) compared 

to 2009 (295,000 tons), while import in 2010 

amounted to 22,000 tons, or about 7,000 tons 

(46.7%) more than in 2009 (15,000 tons). 

In the period January-July 2011, beef export 


17,600 tons (+12.2%) than in the same period 

in 2010. Export to EU countries accounted for 

85% of all beef export. The majority of meet 

was exported to Italy (6,800 tons) and Netherlands 

(5,100 tons). In number of animals, 

export amounted to 208,300 and was lower 

by 39,600 animals (19%) than a year ago. 

Approximately 87% of beef livestock were 

sent to the EU market. 39% of the live cattle 

was transported to the Netherlands (82,200 

animals), and 30% to Italy (63,300 animals). 

Among the third countries, the cattle were 

exported mainly to Croatia – 9% (17,800 

animals) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (8,600 

animals). 

Total import of livestock cattle in the period 

January-July 2011 amounted to 4,900 of 

liveweight, i.e. 12,800 animals, which in relation 

to the mass represents an increase by 

900 tons (22.4%) compared to the same period 

in 2010, while in relation to the number 

of animals, the imports increased by 1,400 

animals (12.3%). Approximately 60% of imported 

live cattle came from Germany and 

Lithuania, 31.0% (3,800 animals) and 28% 

(3,600 animals) respectively. Poland imported 

7,700 tons of fresh and frozen beef, 22 tons of 

which came from third countries. In comparison 

to the same period in 2010, the imports 

increased by 400 tons (5.5%). The majority 

of the fresh beef was imported from Ireland 

(1,700 tons), and frozen – from the UK (1,200 

tons) and the Czech Republic (600 tons). 

Department of Agricultural Markets 

Ministry of Agriculture 


26 

Autumn 2011

Promotion of Polish food 

Best food in Poznań 

The biggest in Middle-East Europe agri-food sector fairs: POLAGRA-FOOD, 

POLAGRA-TECH, GASTRO TRENDY and PAKFOOD, and also 25 th National Animal 

Breeding Exhibition took place in Poznań, in the period from 12 th to 15 th September 

of this year. 

The President Bronisław Komorowski, during 

the opening ceremony emphasized that at 

POLAGRA fairs primarily the following thought 

is implemented – to show and promote good 

Polish food and to facilitate contacts between 

representatives of widely understood agri-food 

industry from around the world. 

Minister Marek Sawicki stressed that we 

want to convince consumers that Polish food 

is good for health, tasty and safe. Referring to 

the debate on the Common Agricultural Policy, 

emphasized that there are challenges of the 

future in front of us, such as food security – 

both quantitative and qualitative, and a new 

common European agricultural policy. After 

seven years of our presence in the EU our agriculture 

makes good use of European funding 

and has shown that it can change. We will 

further develop it, respecting the traditional 

environment. 

As a part of POLAGRA-FOOD fairs a Polish- 

Russian forum of agri-food sector small and 

medium enterprises took 

place, organized under the 

patronage of Polish and 

Russian presidents. Polish 

and Russian experts presented 

the trends and opportunities 

for small and 

medium enterprises in the 

agri-food sector in Poland 

and Russia. Much attention 

was devoted to issues 

of food quality. The practical 

aspects of conducting 

agri-food products trade 

exchange was also discussed. 

The Forum was 

opened by Minister Marek 

Sawicki. 

The fairs were opened 

by the President of 

the Republic of Poland 

Bronisław Komorowski, 



Marek Sawicki, 

President of the Board 

of Poznań International 

Fairs Andrzej Byrt, 

and also, staying in 

Poland, Commissioner 

for Agriculture and 

Rural Development 

of the European Union 

Dacian Ciolos 

EU Commissioner for Agriculture 

and Rural Development Dacian 

Ciolos admired the changes 

that can be observed in Polish 

agriculture. He praised the good 

use of opportunities afforded 

by Common Agricultural Policy. 

“Polish agriculture and Polish 

activity in the negotiations 

are inspiring and needed in 

the European Union”, said the 

Commissioner. 

Autumn 2011 27


“Once again fairs have proved 

that Polish agriculture perfectly 

combines the current achievements, 

tradition with modernity and 

innovative approach”, Minister 

Marek Sawicki said during 

a conference summarizing this 

year’s editions of fairs. 

On the first day of the fairs minister also met 

with farmers at the celebration of fifteenth anniversary 

of Local Agricultural Self-Government 

in Wielkopolska and “Wielkopolskie Święto 

Wsi”. He announced that the next year has 

been declared by the UN the year of cooperative. 

“We need more integration and cooperation 

in the processing 

and sale of products. 

150 years ago, it was 

Wielkopolska which 

was the stoolbed for 

Polish cooperative. 

I would like it also today 

again to make 

an effort in initiating 

such activities. It 

is very necessary for 

us farmers”, appealed 

Minister Sawicki. 

When opening the Salon FLAVOURS OF THE 

REGIONS, which is also a part of the agri-food 

sector fairs, the Minister of Agriculture said: 

“I want whole Europe to fall in love with what 

is our most precious thing 

– tasty and good for health 

food of high quality. I will 

strive for the future Common 

Agricultural Policy 

to allocate more funds to 

support processing of the 

products directly on the 

farms and support their 

sell on local markets”. 

This year’s edition of PO- 

LAGRA fairs attracted over 

1200 exhibitors from 25 

countries. Its offer presented, 

as well as Polish, also 

representatives of companies 

from Austria, Italy, Slovenia, 

the Czech Republic, 

Spain, Switzerland, France, 

Germany, Turkey, USA, 

Great Britain, Belgium, Holland, 

Canada, Bulgaria, Slovakia, 

Denmark, Sweden, 

Greece, Lithuania, Latvia, 

Belarus, China, Sri Lanka 

and Mexico. More than 

100 new products were 

presented, both food and 

modern technologies for 

the meat industry, refrigeration, 

air conditioning, heating, general food 

industry and packaging for the food industry. 

Jubilee 25 th National Animal Breeding Exhibition 

gathered nearly 2,000 specimens of animals, almost 

all breeds of livestock and breeding. The 

best specimens of: horses, beef and dairy cattle, 

swine, sheep, goats, ducks and chickens, ostriches 

and fur-bearing animals had been admired. 

There were presented also bees, snails, fish and 

animals of conservative Polish breeds, that is 

breeds covered by the protection programs, conducted 

by the National Research Institute of Animal 

Production. 

POLAGRA fairs were held in Poznań, for the 

26 th time already. This is an event that each 

year brings together agri-food industry and 

industry co-operating with it. Another block of 

fairs dedicated to food and food industry and 

gastronomy, packaging and logistics will be 

held on 8 th -11 th October 2012. 

Press Office 



28 

Autumn 2011


Polish apples in Brussels 

“Poland tastes good” has been the motto 

of the campaign conducted by the Polish 

Presidency, aimed at promoting highquality 

food and convincing consumers 

of its specific assets as well as the ability to 

satisfy even the most demanding consumers. 

The tasting of Polish apples from Łącko was 

organized on 20-21 September this year in 

Brussels, in the buildings of the EU Council and 

European Parliament. 

Minister Marek Sawicki brought to Brussels 

12 thousand delicious apples that are famous 

for their mildly sour flavor and firm texture, 

to treat those who arrived at the meeting of 

the EU Council of Ministers for Agriculture and 

Fisheries as well as Members of the European 

Parliament. The fruit turned up at all meetings 

of the working groups organized on 20 September 

in the Council building. 

The European Commission entered the apples 

from Łącko Valley into the Registry of Protected 

Geographical Indication. They are very popular 

among consumers due to their extraordinary 

flavor and high quality. They are characterized 

by acidity and ruddiness higher than average 

ones. Thanks to 

the high acidity, it 

can be stated that apples 

from Łącko have the 

so called “highland green 

note” which means that they 

have more distinct, sour taste and 

are more aromatic. 

Similar to Polish strawberries in the 

European Parliament in Strasbourg, Polish 

apples from Łącko won the hearts of those 

who arrived at the Council and the European 

Parliament. They also gained the recognition 

of Jerzy Buzek, the President of the EP, and Dacian 

Ciolos, the EU Commissioner for Agriculture 

and Rural Development. 

Department of Promotion and Communication 


Dacian Ciolos, EU Commissioner for Agriculture (right), and Minister Marek Sawicki were promoting Polish apples from Łącko 

Autumn 2011 29


“Jabłka grójeckie” (Grójec 

apples) are one of 16 Polish 

products registered by the European 

Commission under the 

Protected Geographical Indication 

category. Under the name 

of “Jabłka grójeckie” apples of 

27 varieties, which meet the 

highest quality requirements, 

may be sold. Their specific organoleptic 

values, so much appreciated 

by consumers, result 

from the centuries-old tradition 

of fruit-growing and 

unique natural conditions in 

the area of their production . 

History and reputation 

of “jabłka grójeckie” 

The beginning of development 

of fruit-growing in the 

vicinity of Grójec falls on the 

times of the reign of Queen Bona 

who in 1545 was granted large 

areas of land in that territory. 

Thanks to her efforts, at that 

time in the Grójec district there 

were several times more manor 

orchards than in the neighbouring 

districts. In the 19 th 

century, a great role in popularising 

production of “jabłka 

grójeckie” was played by clergymen 

who dealt with growing 

apple trees and taught others 

how to produce fruit. In 1918, 

the first warehouse for fruit was 

built in that territory. Very dynamic 

development of fruitgrowing 

in Grójec took place after 

WWII which is evidenced by 

establishing the Exper- 

30 

Autumn 2011


imental Station of the Institute 

of Pomology and Floriculture. 

That station became a model 

holding on the example of 

which local fruit growers learnt 

modern fruit-growing methods. 

So, the unparalleled reputation 

of “jabłka grójeckie” in 

those regions has been strengthened 

for almost 500 years. For 

most inhabitants of the Mazowieckie 

Voivodeship and adjacent 

voivodeships, Grójec is a 

synonym of the apple-growing 

area. Everywhere, we can meet 

fruit-growing motives, for example: 

in the crest of the Grójec 

district, in the names of localities 

(Sadków, Sadkowice). The 

importance of fruit-growing to 

only makes it look nice but also 

attests to the high content of 

dyes, mainly anthocyans and 

carotenoids. Moreover, “jabłka 

grójeckie” are characterised by 

the acidity which is higher 

than average and appreciated 

by consumers and processors 

from entire Europe. 

Area of production 


and their relation 

to the geographical area 

The area of production of 

“jabłka grójeckie” is located in 

central Poland, in the territory 

of Warsaw Plain , Rawa 

Plateau, Białobrzegi Valley and 

Central Vistula Valley. From the 

grójeckie” result from, inter 

alia, natural conditions in the 

area of their production , i .e. 

specific microclimate and soil 

conditions. 

In the region of Grójec, right 

before fruit-picking (September, 

early October), high temperature 

declines, even to 0°C, take 

place. The low temperature at 

night has a favourable impact 

on physiological processes taking 

place in apples thanks to which 

it is possible to obtain the appropriate 

carbohydrate/acid 

ratio which has a significant 

impact on the delicious taste of 

“jabłka grójeckie”. 

In addition , the annual rainfall 

in this area amounts to 600 

Regional product: 

Jabłka grójeckie 

Grójec apples 

the local community is 

also evidenced by the fact 

of the annual celebrations 

of the Apple Blossom Festival 

and organising the “National 

Fruit-Growing Conference”. 

Exceptional quality 


“Jabłka grójeckie” are characterised 

by the colouration 

higher than average and more 

intense blush . The beautiful , 

red blush on the apple skin not 

centre of the designated region , 

i .e. from the city of Grójec, to 

its borders, apple trees are cultivated 

in each locality. The 

concentration of cultivation , 

reaching 70% in the vicinity of 

Grójec, decreases as the distance 

to this city increases and outside 

the designated area apple 

trees are rarely cultivated. That 

is why these areas are called 

“the largest orchard in Europe”. 

The excellent taste and characteristic 

colouration of “jabłka 

mm and the length of the vegetation 

period is about 200 days, 

which allows to cultivate most 

apple varieties. Moreover, soil 

conditions in these areas (podsolic 

soils or lessive soils developed 

on sands, clays and ice-marginal 

deposits, of medium and low 

valuation classes) are perfect for 

growing apple trees here. 

Department of Promotion 

and Communication 



Autumn 2011 31

Producers – Exporters 

PDŻ mark – the highest 

quality products 

In the modern society, the consumers attach more attention to those aspects 

of their lives, which contribute to improvement of its quality. A diet, 

in addition to the manner and conditions of life, is one of the most important 

factors of our health and wellbeing. 

Today’s consumers increasingly understand 

the link between health and quality of life 

as well as of consumed food and eating habits. 

Therefore, the most important factor in the dynamic 

growth of the food market is to seek for 

a change of societies’ lifestyle in the developed 

countries when taking care of health, physical 

fitness and ensuring long life in good shape 

are the elements of a new quality of life. This 

favors the formation of new nutritional needs, 

and thereby stimulates food manufacturers, 

supported by research centres, to create new 

groups of food products, such as food of the 

highest (projected) nutritional quality, natural 

and ecological (organic) foods, low-processed, 

comfortable and functional food. 

In the policy of the EU, the most important issues 

are food hygiene and food safety (non-negotiable 

requirement), health and nutritional 

value, and social needs. The fact that consumers 

with growing disposable income – in many 

parts of the world – want foods to meet their 

demanding taste, were authentic and manufactured 

in the traditional manner, as well as 

enforcing stricter standards for animal welfare 

shall not be underestimated. 

Strengths of the products manufactured in 

the EU is their quality, because of EU rules ensuring 

the high level of safety throughout the 

whole food chain in which both farmers 

and producers have invested. But 

there are many other aspects 

that may contribute to increased 

quality in a broader 

sense. Promoting certification 

schemes set up 

by public and private bodies 

in order to inform better 

the consumers about the EU’s 

agricultural production methods and product 

characteristics. 

Certification systems in the EU range from 

compliance with compulsory production standards 

to additional requirements such as environmental, 

animal welfare, the organoleptic 

characteristics and methods of agricultural production. 

More than 10 years have passed since the establishment 

in 2000, by the Minister of Agriculture 

and Rural Development of the mark “Polish 

Fine Food” – the establishment of the Scientific 

Programme Council. The Programme, which in 

those years was supposed to support the Polish 

food producers, who manufactured food 

or food products of high quality, implemented 

or were implementing the systems HACCP, 

GHP to ensure food safety and used the principles 

of GMP – who were at the same time the 

leaders in customizing of the agri-food sector 

to the requirements of food law of the European 

Union and the quality requirements 

of the Common Agricultural Policy 

in the accession process. The programme 

was in its assumptions, 

to identify and extract Polish 

agricultural products and food 

32 

Autumn 2011


products, based on the Polish tradition and culture 

of nutrition and food, produced under conditions 

of food safety assurance systems (HAC- 

CP, GHP, GMP, ISO 9001). 

In 2004, in the frame of the adaptation to EU 

legislation, the programme has further evolved 

and changed to the “Discover Great Food”(PDŻ) 

opening up for agricultural and food producers 

from EU member states and third countries – 

present on the Polish – EU market. During 

the past years the criteria for granting a 

quality mark PDŻ have changed. Many 

EU rules on pollution and chemical 

contamination of food, food additives, 

nutritional and health-related statements 

and health and safety issues have 

changed. The Consumers are looking for a 

high quality products with special characteristics 

or produced by using specific 

methods of production. Factors affecting 

innovation include: 

Preference for local and seasonal 

products, produced using production methods 

that sustain both nature and society; 

Issues related to environmental protection, 

such as combating climate change, more efficient 

management of natural resources such as 

water and soil, and preserving the biodiversity; 

Promotion of the nutritional value of foods; 

Animal welfare and private producing 

schemes promoted by groups working for animal 

welfare cooperating with farmers, retailers 

and scientists. 

Marking with a quality mark “Discover 

Great Food” is a distinction of the product by 

the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development 

and the information that helps consumers 

choose agri-food products of high quality, 

meeting the specific features of trade quality 

or commercial quality requirements. PDŻ character 

with a distinctive white and red logo is a 

guarantee of high quality, addressing both the 

final product, as raw materials for its production. 

Thus, the objective of the European Union 

policy is pursued in terms of food, 

which is expanding the area of 

high quality and variety of food 

on the internal EU market. 

Programme of the “Discover 

Great Food” quality mark refers 

to the following groups 

of agri-food products: meat 

and meat products, milk and 

dairy products, fish, seafood 

and their products, 

eggs and processed 

egg products, 

honey, consumable 

fats, processed cereals, 

legumes and root 

crops; fruits, vegetables, 

mushrooms and 

their products, pastry 

and confectionery, herbs 

Autumn 2011 33


and spices, foods for particular nutritional uses, 

mixed and processed products based on the 

above, water and soft drinks, 

alcoholic beverages and others. 

The “Discover Great Food” 

quality mark may be granted 

to products with outstanding 

quality features, due to 

raw material composition, 

microbiological and sensory 

characteristics, nutrient 

content and functional methods 

of processing and preservation. 

The applicant must document 

the distinctive quality of manufactured 

products. Agri-food article must meet 

the requirements of health, sanitary, veterinary 

or phytosanitary measures laid down in separate 

regulations. The applications for granting 

the quality mark “Discover Great Food” must 

be submitted to the Office of the Minister of 

the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

After a formal evaluation, the proposal is 

forwarded to the Chief Inspector of Commercial 

Quality of Agricultural Products and Food 

for an opinion. Then the opinion with the request 

of the manufacturer and product samples 

shall be forwarded to the Scientific Board 

for the quality of food products of the “Discover 

Great Food”. The Board, whose members are 

eminent experts, scientists in the field of food 

technology and nutrition, medicine, veterinary 

medicine, biotechnology and the national food 

law as well as the European Union legislation. 

After hearing the results and the opinion of the 

Chief Inspector of JHARS and the samples of 

product reported to the award of a quality label, 

the Board recommends the Minister of Agriculture 

and Rural Development, to grant or to 

refuse the mark, together with the reasons. The 

procedure for granting the trade mark “Discover 

Great Food” ends with a decision given by the 

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

The unique nature of the “Discover Great Food” 

quality mark shall be emphasized – it is the only 

sign of food products granted by a public authority. 

As it is known, many different marks 

are placed on each product e.g. relating to Polagra, 

various contests etc., but in case of the PDŻ 

quality mark and the guarantor and the patron 

of it is a state institution, which is of relevance 

for consumers, while it builds a trust and confidence, 

that products marked with a PDŻ quality 

mark has been produced in accordance to 

the high standards of quality, safety and compliance 

with food law. 

In the table the dynamics of the awarded PDŻ 

quality marks is shown. It is highly likely that in 

this year the number of active marks will be a 

record. Currently, 569 products have a PDŻ quality 

mark, of which 99 marks are awarded in the 

first half of 2011. 

To familiarize yourself with the products, 

which have been granted with “Discover Great 

Food” quality mark, please visit the website – 

the address of the MARD, bookmark PDŻ. 

The dominant sector in terms of marks given 

is the dairy processing sector are milk products 

then in the second place meat and its products, 

and successive groups of products are pro- 

34 

Autumn 2011


cessed fruit and vegetables, processed products, 

alcohol products, cereals, chocolate and 

confectionery. The list contains also eggs and 

honey. 

For the food industry and retailers PDŻ sign 

guarantees an additional quality of the products, 

ensures legal security by giving assurance 

that the farmers have followed the appropriate 

standards, and thus has a positive effect 

on the retailer’s reputation. The PDŻ 

quality marks differentiate visually 

products with specific characteristics 

of quality and safety for consumer. 

To give confidence to consumers 

that the label claim is justified, 

the compliance with the specification by the 

manufacturers is monitored. Particular attention 

is paid within the PDŻ programme to ensure 

the consistency of the chain “traceability” 

– and by that, to contribute to ensuring of the 

authenticity and origin – therefore given protection 

by the sign of quality, its stability in time 

and product safety. There are therefore the verifiable 

criteria and conditions determined on the 

basis of sound scientific knowledge about satisfying 

of which is a guarantee for the keeping 

quality and safety standards in each step of the 

food chain – and should encourage a process of 

continuous quality improvement, and defining, 

together with knowledge and experience development. 

The criteria for reducing the salt content 

in meat products to 

the contents of 1-2%, ni- 

Year 

Number of 

granted marks 

Number of 

new marks 

trite and 50 mg/kg or polyphosphates to the 

levels necessary technologically (or completely 

eliminate them) is aiming in that direction. 

An optimistic belief can be expressed that 

a group of products with a PDŻ quality mark, 

will rapidly grow in the future and facilitate 

the consumer’s choice on agri-food quality 

and safety. 

Number of 

regained marks 

Number of 

active marks 

2004 256 256 - 256 

2005 250 250 - 506 

2006 158 158 - 664 

2007 254 101 143 664 

2008 130 81 49 543 

2009 224 139 85 606 

2010 118 72 46 470 

2011 99 54 45 569 

Prof. Mieczysław Obiedziński, PhD 

President of the Science Board of 

the “Discover Great Food” Programme 

Autumn 2011 35

Food safety 

Beef? With pleasure! 

Discover the QMP system 

and make conscious purchases 

Beautiful culinary beef 

produced under 

the QMP System 

This may work: stimulation and development of consumption of culinary 

beef in Poland, building an efficiently operating chain of production and supplies 

of meat of high, certified quality which will bring benefits to all its participants 

and satisfaction of successful purchase to consumers. 

Consumption of beef may be fun. It is evidenced 

by experiences of other countries 

in the world as well as promising results of scientific 

and marketing research carried out in 

the framework of the scientific project entitled 

“Optimisation of beef production in Poland in 

accordance with the “from fork to farm” strategy” 

implemented under the Operational Program 

Innovative Economy. A group of Polish and 

global researchers, specialists and experts discussed 

the strategy of development of the culinary 

beef segment in Poland during the International 

Scientific Conference which was held 

on 12 th -13 th September at Warsaw University of 

Life Sciences – SGGW in Warsaw. 

Appetite for branded meat 

The market is fed up with anonymous meat, 

cheap products of low quality and taste. What 

counts now, is quality, originality and naturalness 

of dishes. The appetite for branded meat 

is growing, including meat of high and guaranteed 

quality, quality understood as satisfaction 

of consumers. More and more frequently, we 

choose cold meats made according to traditional 

recipes, more expensive but better than 

popular ones. More and more frequently, we go 

back to roasting, frying and simmering meat. It 

is not the beginning of a trend but a tendency 

which is already strongly visible in the market. 

Domestic consumption of beef is lowest in 

the EU but many consumers in Poland do not 

accept quality of meat they receive for a suggested 

price. This should change when larger 

amounts of culinary beef produced under the 

QMP system (Quality Meat Scheme) appear in 

the Polish market. 

Quality Meat Program 

The QMP beef quality system is a new national 

food quality scheme that gives retailers and 

consumers the guarantee and basis of greater 

confidence in quality of Polish beef. The properties 

of QMP beef, such as, for example, tenderness, 

juiciness meet the expectations of the 

consumer to a large extent. 

The QMP system is a food quality scheme 

open to all cattle producers, feed manufacturers, 

live animals carriers, meat processors who 

undergo control by an independent certification 

body accredited in terms of compliance with 

PN-EN 45011 and receive the QMP certificate 

of conformity. Beef marked with the common 

guarantee trademark “QMP System” is produced 

during the process in the holding, feed manu- 

36 

Autumn 2011

Food safety 

facturing plant, transport and slaughterhouse 

designed in such a way so as to ensure higher 

juiciness and tenderness of meat significantly 

exceeding the commercial quality standards 

commonly used in the Polish market. The QMP 

standards were developed with an objective of 

achieving higher commercial quality than the 

one currently occurring in the entire chain of 

production and processing. The QMP standard 

with regard to marking provides an opportunity 

to emphasize the origin of the product. Regional 

designations may be developed. The origin of 

the product shall not constitute the major feature 

of the message, in accordance with guidelines 

laid down by the European Commission 

but will be an additional information. If a given 

head of cattle does not meet the quality requirements, 

meat obtained from this head will not be 

granted the QMP System quality mark. 

Apart from meeting the criteria resulting 

from the meat quality standards, there is also a 

fully open and controlled chain from the manufacturer, 

through slaughtering to shop counters. 

This is a voluntary program with the standards 

regarding animal breeding, rearing, nutrition, 

transport, meat production complying with EU 

law and with the Polish standards. 

The highest quality is 

customers’ satisfaction 

Today, the strategies in the beef market in 

Poland are adjusted to the needs and expectations 

of the next link in the supply chain. This 

myopia obstructs building of long-term actions 

and strong ties between breeders, processors 

and distributors. It obstructs production of beef 

with quality desired by consumers. In business 

relationships between the participants in the 

chain of production and supply of beef to the 

market there are no requirements that enable 

better adjustment of the product to the requirements 

of consumers. The QMP system provides 

a basis for changing this myopic attitude and 

building long-term relationships between producers 

of cattle, meat plants and distributors. It 

guarantees production of tender, juicy and tasty 

beef which consumers want. 

This is confirmed by the results of the research 

project entitled “Optimisation of beef production 

in Poland in accordance with the “from fork 

to farm” strategy”, which has been lasting for almost 

two years already. Within the framework of 

the project, research is carried out at each stage 

of the supply chain. Analysis covers barriers, the 

Maybe some beef dish for today’s lunch? 

Autumn 2011 37

Food safety 

QMP culinary beef tastes 

excellent when grilled 

level of knowledge and attitude to the undertaken 

attempts of production and sale of QMP beef. 

Barriers to demand and consumer preferences 

are investigated: what the Polish consumer expects, 

their comments and how they perceive 

beef? Thanks to that it is known what communication 

with the consumer through a label of 

beef with guaranteed quality should look like. 

It is known which tools of communication with 

the consumer shall be received by meat plants 

which will decide to produce beef under the 

QMP system. In Poland, there have already been 

attempts to produce steak beef, with higher 

quality, but the lack of knowledge and experience 

made it unsuccessful. 

The research project and conference are the 

elements of a wider strategy which is to introduce 

major changes into the process of beef 

production in Poland. This refers to the increase 

in the market share of QMP beef, for which 

the manufacturer, mark and system owner, 

is responsible. If a company wants to produce 

branded beef, it is not enough to apply a nice 

label on the product, it must be of guaranteed, 

controlled quality. In case of beef, the consumer 

is the ultimate and severe judge. If they experience 

a disappointment, they will not return. 

Therefore, standardisation and appropriate 

message for the consumer are so important. 

The new quality standards are introduced in 

order to facilitate recognition of high-quality 

beef with the QMP logo on supermarket shelves. 

By introducing the easily recognizable System 

QMP logo, based on control by an independent 

body in terms of compliance with the standards, 

we shall give the customer the quality guarantee 

and assurance of selection of the product 

that will satisfy them. This should increase the 

value added of the producers. The easily recognizable 

QMP System logo is to facilitate the customer 

purchasing beef produced under the system. 

It is to give confidence and assurance that 

all products bearing such labels met the strict 

quality criteria and may be easily identified. 

What does it mean that meat 

has the QMP quality mark? 

Regardless of the conditions relating to food 

itself, high quality of the system means the full 

transparency and independence of control of 

the production chain. This gains recognition of 

the EU. QMP creates standards higher than required 

but remains open to producers in order 

to increase their chances in the markets. 

The system contains regulations relating to 

the conditions of animal welfare (light, space, 

water) associated with the increasing but, however, 

less restrictive requirements of codes of 

good agricultural practice. The higher standards 

shall bring benefits to both producers and 

animals in the short, medium and long term. 

Taking care of animal health (contact with 

humans, other animals, nutrition, veterinary 

checks, checks of medicines) shall bring similar 

benefits to producers as well as to animals. 

Producers who join this system, which shows 

not only the required minimum standards but 

much higher ones, do it voluntarily. Participation 

in such a program clearly shows that the 

producer is responsible for the future of their 

production. 

Transport companies which join this program 

will have controlled vehicles, also in terms of required 

space, the functioning of all equipment, 

operation of the medical assistance system. The 

EU regulations impose controls starting just 

from the gates of the holding. 

Meat producers also have their procedures 

ensuring proper quality of handling animals 

(slaughter) and procedures for handling already 

prepared meat. 

Quality also means the standards for food itself, 

such criteria have been included in the system 

to ensure the relevant properties of meat like 

juiciness, tenderness, for example, by excluding 

older animals from the production cycle, lower- 

38 

Autumn 2011

Food safety 

Softness and tenderness 

of QMP beef make dishes 

taste unique 

ing the slaughter age by control of the production 

process, using achievements of the biological 

progress for obtaining the slaughter weight 

at the younger age. The QMP system also pays 

attention to the impact of various programs of 

commercial crossing and nutrition likely to have a 

positive impact on the customer satisfaction. The 

QMP system permits regional beef also, e.g. (from 

Bieszczady, Warmia, Łąki Nadbużańskie, Kotlina 

Kłodzka, etc.), and creates a basis for developing 

local quality systems based on observance of the 

production standards. 

What are the benefits from 

introduction of the QMP system? 

The system provides retailers and consumers 

with the guarantee and basis for greater confidence 

in quality of Polish beef. QMP meat is tender, 

juicy, satisfies the consumer’s expectations 

to a large extent. QMP is the quality system 

open to all representatives of the beef supply 

chain. Meat marked with it is produced in the 

holding, feed manufacturing plant, transport 

and slaughterhouse to ensure higher juiciness 

and tenderness of meat exceeding the commercial 

quality standards commonly used in 

the Polish market. The QMP standards were 

created to achieve higher commercial quality 

than the one which is currently present in the 

production and processing chain. QMP marking 

may emphasize the origin of the product. Regional 

designations may be developed. The origin 

of the product shall not constitute the major 

feature of the message, in accordance with 

EC guidelines, but will be an additional information. 

If a given head of cattle does not meet the 

quality requirements, meat obtained from this 

head will not be granted the QMP system quality 

mark. The simple QMP logo is to facilitate the 

customer purchasing meat produced under the 

system. It is to give confidence and assurance 

that marked products have met the strict quality 

criteria and may be easily identified. 

In the future, it will be possible to purchase 

beef with the QMP mark in most supermarkets 

and independent meat shops which acquire 

beef from meat producers keeping the QMP 

standards. The Program is to incorporate major 

store chains and restaurants into the project. 

QMP beef is properly packaged and labelled, the 

seller will always inform of it. Many shops will 

carry out promotional campaigns that will help 

consumers locate QMP culinary beef. 

Greater awareness and better living conditions, 

care for health make consumers have new 

expectations when purchasing food. The consumer 

expects that they will have “value added” 

in purchased meat. Convenience of preparation, 

nutritional and dietary values, good food, taste, 

pleasure and good feeling resulting from good 

food are a driving force for development of the 

QMP culinary beef segment. Future consumers 

will want something best from the point of 

view of their expectations and benefits. Thanks 

to the QMP system, the approach of Polish customers 

towards purchasing beef should undergo 

thorough change. This is an opportunity 

of development for Polish culinary beef, a new 

segment in this market. 

Małgorzata Białasiewicz 

Autumn 2011 39

Production and food processing 

Beefsteaks not worse 

than those from Argentina 

Modern meat packing 

line in the “Łmeat 

– Łuków S.A.” plant 

The “Łmeat - Łuków S.A.” meat processing plant is the most versatile firm from 

the Polish meat industry whose owners have been, for 8 years, farmers, employees 

and Polish investment capital. At present, this is one of the few meat processing 

firms with so many capacities, owned entirely by Poles. 

Thanks to the experience and versatile knowledge 

of sale markets, the “Łmeat” is one of 

the leaders of the meat processing industry inland 

and abroad. Its activity profile is very broad. 

It includes pork and beef livestock purchasing 

and slaughter, meat cutting, production and 

distribution of meat, cold meat, canned meat 

and ready meals. Moreover, the company has 

its specialized means of transport to transport 

livestock and ready products. It purchases and 

butchers more than 400 thousand fatteners 

and ca. 75 thousand head of cattle. During one 

shift, it cuts 100 tons of pork meat and 60 tons 

of beef meat. 

The pork and pork products are delivered 

to inland and foreign recipients. On the other 

hand, over 90% of beef is exported in the form 

of half-carcasses and four cuts in almost all directions 

of the world. The traditional sale markets 

are the European Union countries such as: 

Italy, Spain and Belgium. The beef from Łuków is 

highly valued in Russia, USA and Arabian Countries 

as well. It ensures deliveries of beef also 

to the inland market using its own commercial 

network (120 modern shops), regional distribution 

centres and large shops; it ensures deliveries 

of beef to the inland market as well. Deliveries 

to such large markets are possible due 

to good cooperation of the plants from Krakow 

with breeders, in particular within the partnership 

program entitled “Bliżej siebie”. 

Quality and development as 

the most important issues 

“This program is aimed at building a professional 

stock basis and supporting the development 

and improvement of the stock in accordance 

with customer’s expectations”, explains 

Ryszard Smolarek – the President of the “Łmeat 

– Łuków” meat processing plant – its originality 

consists in the fact that it “relates”, by 

means of agricultural procurement contracts, 

not only farmers-producers of the livestock and 

our plants, but producers of animal feed, firms 

delivering calves, young swine of the highest 

yield breeds and crossbreeds, as well as the BGŻ 

which credits the breeders. We have signed ca. 

1,200 contracts for deliveries of swine and ca. 

800 contracts for delivery of cattle for fattening 

40 

Autumn 2011


– the most valuable yield breed, in the framework 

of the “Bliżej siebie” program. More than 

70% of the stock for processing of highest quality 

comes from our permanent suppliers from 

the “Bliżej siebie” program. This is why our specialists 

from the stock services work intensively 

to, at least, double the number of agricultural 

procurement contracts for breeding of cattle 

for fattening. In recent years, our beef has been 

creating a sensation on foreign markets. Within 

the last 4 years, Poland has increased export to 

non-EU countries, in particular to Russia, Turkey, 

Iran, Iraq, Syria and Egypt as much as 4-fold. It is 

appreciated for its quality and flavor. Moreover, 

thanks to the traditional feeding of the animals 

based on pastures and crops from own cultivation, 

our beef is aromatic and has a good texture. 

In terms of the culinary usefulness it is not 

worse than the meat coming from Argentina or 

Brazil. As the President of the Rada Polskiej Federacji 

Mięsnej (the Council of the Polish Meat 

Industry Association) bringing together 700 

Sliced and packed coldmeats – convenient for customers 

meat and cold meat processing plants, I know 

that we could sell at least twice as much beef to 

foreign recipients, provided that the meat is of 

good quality. This means that the meat should 

correspond to the E class (excellent), U class – 

very good and R – good, in accordance with the 

EUROP system of carcass classification. Experiences 

of the “Łmeat” in Łuków shows that the 

quickest and surest way to produce such beef 

is to acquire, for our “Bliżej siebie” program, the 

largest group of farmers who will choose to 

specialize in breeding beef cattle. 

Contractors do not let down 

Arkadiusz Woźniak, Head of the Purchasing 

and Agricultural Procurement Department of 

the firm from Łuków, pays tribute to suppliers of 

cattle for fattening within the “Bliżej siebie” program. 

He emphasizes that they are able to create, 

on their farms that have been traditionally 

run so far, good conditions for animal breeding, 

ensure natural and, at the same time, appropriate 

feeding without extensive intensification. 

“This guarantees good quality of carcass, 

proper removal of fat and optimum proportions 

of the most valuable parts in relation to bones 

and other remains, as well as delivery in accordance 

with the contract term. Therefore, it can be 

said that they fully execute all provisions of the 

contracts”, Mr. Woźniak praises them. 

And what about the farmers? They evaluate 

the cooperation with Łuków in the framework 

of the agricultural procurement very positively 

and highly appreciate it. 

“This is a real treasure of every farmer. We 

have been cooperating with the plant for sev- 

“Łmeat – Łuków S.A.” 

products offer variety 

of faster 

Autumn 2011 41


“Łuków” logo on a 

packaging guarantees 

high quality to customers 

eral years. We have been regularly delivering 

fatteners there, and it awoke our interest in 

beef cattle and helped us to organize and develop 

this profile of activity”, states Marek Zaborowski 

from Miłków. Stanisława, his wife adds: 

“As we were starting to breed bulls in the first 

year of our activity, the support was particularly 

significant. We were provided with proper training 

and crossbreed bulls from Podkarpacie on 

credit. We had also the possibility of receiving 

credit from the bank for the purchase of feed 

and other means needed for breeding. At present, 

the cattle is delivered only for rearing and 

bulls with the weight of 600-700 kg are taken 

back. Livestock is paid well for by “Łmeat” which 

additionally gives a bonus. In the last years, we 

have been rearing 20 animals annually, and 

from the next year on, we would like to increase 

the quantity to 30 animals annually.” 

Paweł Wieleba from Polichno has been cooperating 

with “Łmeat” in the framework of the 

high quality beef production for 5 years. He was 

starting from rearing of 10 bulls and he has 

been selling 20-25 animals in the recent years. 

He is also going to enlarge his herd. Therefore, 

he fertilized 10 cows with the semen of beef 

breeds. In future, he is going to give up milk 

production and swine fattening on his farm in 

order to devote his activity exclusively to the 

fattening of beef cattle. 

“He is being encouraged by prices for quality 

beef and the good cooperation with Łuków”, he 

explains. 

Piotr Kraśnicki from Korycin near Sokółka is a 

thoroughly educated cattle breeder. He completed 

the zootechnics studies and 4-month training 

on a Swiss farm of cattle for fattening. Since 

2003, he has only specialized in Limousin beef 

cattle breeding, and his herd is made up of 86 

animals – including 40 suckler cows which are 

supervised in terms of fattening performance 

and being registered in the flock books. Therefore, 

all heifers are intended for breeding and 

bulls for slaughter. He is also considering the 

possibility of enlarging his breeding, but makes 

his decision conditional on covering sucker cows 

with direct additional payments also in Poland. 

Delicious sausages and smoked meat 

Finally, let us add that the offer of the meat 

processing plant in Łuków includes, apart from 

beef in the form of half-carcass and four cuts, 

more than 250 products from all technological 

groups. These are: smoked meat, sausages, giblets, 

delicatessen, tanned meat as well as ready 

meals and entire assortment range of pork and 

beef in varying degrees of processing. Moreover, 

various types of animal feed are produced here 

as well. All products are of top quality, distinguished 

by their unique taste and exceptional 

nutritional qualities. Their highest quality and 

safety standards have been confirmed by Certificates 

of the Integrated Management System: 

Quality and Safety of Food, conform with the 

PN-EN ISO 9001:2001, PN-EN ISO 22000:2006 

standards and certificates of conformity with 

BRC, IFS, Mc Donald‘s standards. “Łmeat” possesses 

export authorisations enabling export 

to, among others, European Union countries, 

Russia, USA, Canada and Japan. 

Thus, the Meat Processing Plant in Łuków is a 

good company – in every respect. 

Antoni Radzewicz 



42 

Autumn 2011


The only such beef 

producing plant 

Spółdzielcza Agrofirma Witkowo near Stargard Szczeciński achieves such results 

in beef cattle breeding that it surprises even the best specialists in the industry. 

It is a real champions’ producing plant. In this regard, it beats all records 

and continues to raise the expectations higher and higher. 

Two years ago, at the 24 th National Animal 

Breeding Exhibition in Poznań, the animals 

from Witkowo were awarded 16 champion titles 

and 1 vice-champion title in the category 

of beef cattle. This year, at the jubilee, 25 th National 

Exhibition, 18 champion titles, 3 vicechampion 

titles and one super champion title 

for beef cattle were awarded to animals from 

Witkowo. Dr. Eng. Friedrich Averbeck from Germany, 

the main judge of the event and one of 

the most respected experts in beef cattle was 

very impressed with Leban, the 4-year old bull 

of Red Angus breed from Witkowo that was 

awarded the super champion title. He said that 

it was simply the perfect model of this breed 

and that its neck muscles deserved special attention. 

“This bull and all the remaining champions 

from Agrofirma Witkowo confirm that the 

breeding works are conducted there at the highest, 

exclusive level. This is a real art of breeding”, 

emphasized Dr. Averbeck. 

“We owe our achievements in animal production, 

most of all, to the permanent concern 

for improving the genetic value”, confides Marian 

Ilnicki, who has been the head of Agrofirma 

Witkowo for 53 years. Since the 70’s, the Agrofirma 

has acquired genetic material from the 

best breeders in France, USA and Canada in order 

to refine dairy cows. The cooperation is still 

being continued. In the breeding practice, we 

use successfully the latest zootechnical technologies 

such as the embiotransfer carried out 

in cooperation with scientists from Canada. In 

1995, we commenced the works aimed at refining 

the beef cattle. At that time, we imported, 

by air, 40 Salers breed and 70 Red Angus breed 

springing heifer and bulls. In the next years, 

we bought also heifers and bulls of Limousine, 

Hereford, Chrolaise and Simentaler breed from 

the best pedigree breeding establishment in 

France, Denmark and the Czech Republic. Due 

to that, we have been breeding for several years 

ca. 3.5 thousand cattle animals of as many as six 

beef cattle breeds. The parent herd is made up of 

1,400 cows. This is the only such refined and diversified 

stock-breeding not only in Poland but in 

the entire Europe as well. Therefore, each month, 

our plant is visited by numerous specialized tourist 

groups not only from Poland but also from almost 

all European and non-European countries. 

“All guests are impressed by our herds of every 

breed that represent very high breeding and production 

values, yet still have excellent health”, 

adds Marek Tomaszewski, the chief specialist 

in breeding of the cattle for fattening. They are 

surprised that such outstanding results can be 

achieved by keeping cattle outdoors all year long 

and feeding them in traditional manner, only 

with own feed. 

“We are proud that our beef can satisfy even 

the most demanding consumers - emphasizes 

Grzegorz Trojanowski, Vice-President for trade 

Head of Agrofirma 

Witkowo, Marian Ilnicki, 

presents the champion 

from his own farm 

Autumn 2011 43


Customers willingly buy 

coldmeats of Agrofirma 

Witkowo shops 

and processing of Agrofirma”. In the post-slaughter 

evaluation, all cattle animals conform to the 

highest E-class (excellent) of the EUROP grid. 

Additionally, the scale and diversity of the cattle 

for fattening makes Witkowo have a really 

wide range of products at its disposal. One can 

choose the sort of beef which is best suited to 

their taste. It is perfectly lean, just as Poles like 

it. There is also a great selection of half-carcasses 

with excessive fat, slightly fat and marbled 

which is sought after by foreigner customers. 

We have also beef that can be quickly boiled and 

perfectly roasted. Thus, the beef from Witkowo 

is highly valued by consumers and the majority 

of it is exported to Germany and Scandinavian 

countries by means of our over 70 markets. On 

the other hand, our heifers are desired by foreign 

recipients who propose far better prices than the 

domestic customers. 

We breed also ca. 2,500 dairy cows”, adds Tadeusz 

Żabski, the Vise-President responsible for 

animal production in Agrofirma from Witkowo. 

“Their average annual productivity amounts to 

9,500 liters of perfect quality milk. More than 15 

thousand liters of milk is obtained from over 50 

cows in the herd. I do not want to mention the 

record-holders who give more than 16 thousand 

liters, but I really feel sorry for them. Their hearts 

operate more efficiently than Mercedes engines 

of the latest models. I learned from the professors 

in physiology that the cows’ hearts have to pump 

as many as 350 - 400 liters of blood for every liter 

of milk. Therefore, on our dairy farms, we have 

not conducted breeding works farms aimed at 

increasing the milk production for several years. 

Our efforts are devoted to improving health and 

longevity of the animals. We try to take care of 

the hearts of our brave breadwinners and would 

not like them to beat records but to live as long 

as possible. We do not want them to be exploited 

more than they are able to be. For us, this level of 

milk produced by 2,500 cows is sufficient and we 

try to maintain it. In Witkowo, we have nearly 65 

thousand of milk every day”. 

“Such excellent dairy and beef herds can be 

bred thanks to our wonderful employees who 

work on our farms”, says President Ilnicki. “They 

are really passionate for good work, and take 

great care of every cow, every head of cattle, 

swine or hen. I am talking not only about the engineering 

and technical staff but also about the 

daily service workers, because they all contribute 

to the results achieved by us, which are culminated 

by champion titles and other most prestigious 

titles awarded to animals from Agrofirma. 

By the way, I would like to emphasize that I am 

very proud of our zootechnician engineers. They 

are very modern and ambitious practicing spe- 

44 

Autumn 2011


cialists, with a very comprehensive knowledge. 

They take advantage of world literature and have 

contacts with various research and experimental 

centres. They can talk to professors – even with 

those from foreign universities – and, above all, 

with their men in the barn, piggery or hen house. 

I can refer to our agrotechnicians and processing 

technologists with the same words. This is where 

our successes lie”. 

The cooperative Agronomic Witkowo has been 

recognized as the most important food producing 

plant in Poland for many years. According to 

the statistics, it produces the most healthy and 

genuine food. It is located within nearly 13 thousand 

hectares (including 10.7 thousand of own 

hectares) where it operates in an intensive and 

modern manner, respecting the environmental 

requirements. 

“The philosophy of our operations can be described 

by the motto: ‘From field to table’ ”, explains 

President Ilnicki. “This is why we strive for 

selling all fruits of the earth merely in the processed 

form, in our own network of more than 

70 mini markets. We have very good processing 

facilities. The grain warehouses, fully automated 

feed blending plant, where the feed for 

cattle, swine and poultry is produced are one of 

the most modern in the country. We posses also 

our own slaughterhouse and meat processing 

plant. Our breeding and animal production has 

been organized in such a manner as to enable us 

to work independently. Therefore, we have our 

own chicken hatchery, laying hens and broilers. 

We produce, in a closed cycle, 60 thousand fatteners. 

However, in order not to shock with large 

number, I would like to add that, in our cooperative 

shops, we sell, every day, 25 thousand kg of 

poultry, 10 thousand kg of pork, 1.5 thousand kg 

of beef, 16 thousand kg of delicious cold meat, 

116 thousand eggs and nearly 65 thousand liters 

of milk. This is all produced by us”. The “From field 

to table” motto is being implemented under the 

supervision of veterinary and zootechnician services, 

respecting all technological requirements. 

Antoni Radzewicz 



Animal nutrition in 

Agrofirma Witkowo is 

based on own feeds only 

Cattle glaring 

on extensive 

meadows of Witkowo 

Autumn 2011 45

Science and technology 

2 nd Congress of 

Agricultural Sciences 

Two years ago, in May, the 1 st Congress of Agricultural Sciences was held 

in Puławy. It was decided back then that the next meeting would be held in 

2 years. Another, 2 nd Congress was held on 5 th October 2011 in Warsaw. The 

leading idea of this edition, organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural 

Development, was: “National strategic research schemes for the agri-food sector 

and rural areas”. 


and Rural Development, 

Marek Sawicki, opens 

the 2 nd Congress of 

Agricultural Sciences 

When opening the session, the Minister 

of Agriculture and Rural Development 

pointed out that: “The 2 nd Congress of Agricultural 

Sciences is held in the special year, the year 

of our Presidency and also the year in which an 

attempt is made to carry out a great reform of 

the Common Agricultural Policy. I cannot imagine 

any reform of this policy without participation 

of the world of science, without participation 

of Polish science. Once the European 

Commission presents the legislative package on 

the CAP, I warmly encourage the entire Polish 

scientific community to participate actively in 

evaluating these suggestions and not only in a 

form of reviews. I expect active, innovative suggestions. 

It is the high time for us, from Poland, 

to tell entire Europe, clearly and bravely, that 

the world needs more and more healthy and 

safe food. Europe cannot be indifferent to that. 

Europe cannot support reforms in the spirit of 

stagnation, conservation and paying for the production 

readiness, cannot make the entire world 

believe that it does not want to participate in 

the global growth of food production”. The Minister 

also appealed to the scientists that, once 

the Legislative Package is presented, they should 

46 

Autumn 2011


have the courage to present suggestions on the 

profound CAP reform aimed at development of 

agriculture. 

“Our suggestions must include innovation, 

competitiveness, active development. It is not 

true that development of agricultural production 

must collide with the environmental and 

climate protection. Agriculture may develop with 

respect for both these factors. The potential of 

European and, above all, Polish agriculture, is still 

untapped, to such an extent, that in harmony 

with the environment we may significantly increase 

the supply of our products to European 

markets and global markets”, stressed the head 

of the Ministry. 

The 2 nd Congress of Agricultural Sciences included 

two plenary sessions. The main issues 

discussed during those sessions were: 

Trends in development of agricultural sciences 

and their impact on the form of the agricultural 

policy in Poland in the medium- and 

long-term perspective. 

Science for the benefit of the bioeconomy 

and innovative model of development of the 

agri-food sector and rural areas. 

Economic and social determinants of production, 

food safety and quality standards in 

terms of environmental changes. 

Transfer of knowledge for development of 

the agri-food sector and rural areas. 

During the first plenary session, the following 

speakers made their presentations: 

Prof. Zbigniew Kundzewicz, PhD, Institute 

for Agricultural and Forest Environment, Polish 

Academy of Sciences in Poznań – ”Mitigating 

climate risks with regard to agriculture and rural 

development”; 

Prof. Andrzej Kowalski, PhD, Institute of 

Agricultural and Food Economics – National 

Research Institute in Warsaw, “Social and economic 

conditions for development of the agrifood 

sector”; 

Prof. Wojciech K. Święcicki, PhD, Institute 

of Plant Genetics, Polish Academy of Science 

in Poznań, “New technologies in plant production 

– human- and environment-friendly”; 

Prof. Jędrzej Krupiński, PhD, National Research 

Institute of Animal Production in Balice 

near Kraków, “Strategic trends in development 

of animal production conditional upon social 

expectations, environmental protection and 

animal welfare”; 

Prof. Stanisław Krasowicz, PhD, Institute of 

Soil Science and Plant Cultivation – National Research 

Institute in Puławy, “Rational management 

of soil environment in Poland”. 

Prof. Z. Kundzewicz discussed anticipated 

consequences of climate changes for agriculture, 

possibilities to prevent them and suggested 

adaptation measures. He stressed that 

in Poland, amongst adaptation measures, attention 

should be paid to proper irrigation of 

crops and change in agrotechnical practices 

with a view of minimising water losses. It is 

Congress participants 

listened to consecutive 

lectures with interest 

Autumn 2011 47


Minister Sawicki, presents 

awards to scientists 

with special merits for 

the agricultural sector 

also important to introduce new varieties of 

plants which are more resistant to heat waves 

and droughts. Also, it is necessary to create hybrids 

adapted to new climatic conditions and 

make better use of a longer growing season. 

Prof. A. Kowalski stated that the Polish 

membership in the EU gave Polish agriculture 

an opportunity to easily overcome emerging 

challenges related to globalisation. Accession 

directed and accelerated introduction of 

a number of socio-economic reforms and in 

some areas it even resulted in introduction 

of solutions which were much more modern 

than in the “old” EU countries. The speaker 

stressed that development of the agri-food 

sector should take into account the following 

essential components: adaptation of the food 

production growth to the demand, retaining a 

satisfactory level of farmers’ income, prevention 

of the environmental degradation. 

Prof. W. Święcicki discussed the issues of new 

technologies in crop production in the light of 

increasing obtained yields. Apart from already 

applied and improved technologies based on, 

e.g. in vitro cultures, DNA analysis, he indicated 

new trends, inter alia, in plant protection, 

soil cultivation systems, genetic modifications 

of plants. 

Another speaker, Prof. Jędrzej Krupiński, focused 

on discussing trends in development of 

animal production in order to achieve the strategic 

goal, i.e., modification of animal production 

methods taking into account advanced 

molecular technologies, preservation of biodiversity, 

ecology, animal welfare and agricultural 

environment. 

During the second plenary session, the following 

speeches were delivered: 

Eugeniusz K. Chyłek, PhD, Ministry of Agriculture 

and Rural Development, “Bioeconomy – 

competitiveness, sustainable use of resources”; 

Prof. Mariusz Piskuła, PhD, Institute of Animal 

Reproduction and Food Research, Polish 

Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn, “Safe prohealthy 

food for long and comfortable life”; 

Prof. Piotr Tryjanowski, PhD, University of 

Life Sciences in Poznań, “Threats to biodiversity 

in the agricultural landscape: intensification 

of agriculture, climate changes and invasive 

species”; 

Prof. Edmund Kaca, PhD, Institute of Technology 

and Life Sciences in Falenty, “Water 

management in the agri-food sector and in rural 

areas under conditions of new challenges 

and restrictions”; 

Dr Magdalena Rogulska, Automotive Industry 

Institute in Warsaw, “Relationship between 

agriculture and energy industry in the context 

of implementing the objectives of the low carbon 

economy in Poland”; 

Prof. Józef Kania, PhD, Hugo Kołłątaj University 

of Agriculture in Kraków, “System of 

knowledge transfer for the agri-food sector - 

expected trends in development”. 

In this session, particular interest, in terms of 

food quality and impact on health, was raised 

by a speech delivered by Prof. M. Piskuła on safe 

pro-healthy food. While discussing the relationship 

between the diet and the prevalence of 

diet-related diseases, the speaker highlighted 

the growing importance of functional food and 

bioactive compounds contained therein. He discussed 

the types of studies on functional food, 

assurance of food safety, modern technologies 

of food production and packaging, studies on 

nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics. He also mentioned 

the national research programmes in 

the field of “Food for health” and the EU programmes 

“Healthy diet for healthy life” and 

“Food for health”. 

The substantive summary of the Congress 

was made by Prof. Stanisław Krasowicz, PhD. 

Press Office, Ministry of Agriculture 


Ewa Woicka-Bekas 



48 

Autumn 2011


Food and nutrition in 21 st 

century international conference 

On 9 th September this year, a conference entitled “Food and nutrition in 21 st 

century” was held in Warsaw. The patron of the conference was Marek Sawicki, 

the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. It was organized by the 

Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Research Institute of Pomology 

and Floriculture in Skierniewice, in close cooperation with the Directorate 

for Biotechnology, Agriculture and Food of the European Commission. 

The conference was one of the flagship events organized 

in the framework of the Polish Presidency of the 

EU Council. 

During the speech opening the session, Marek Sawicki, 

the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, presented 

a short paper entitled “Common Agricultural Policy 

aimed at providing consumers with high quality food”. 

During the speech, the Minister presented mechanisms 

and actions implemented in the framework of the Common 

Agricultural Policy, serving the support of high quality 

food production. At the end of the presentation, the 

Minister outlined the main challenges in the area of food 

and nutrition that the Common Agricultural Policy has to 

face, including, among others, creating policy of healthy 

nutrition, promoting local food systems and precisely 

identifying long-term effects of the admission of GMO. 

In the plenary session, the floor was taken by, among 

others, guests from abroad representing European institutions: 

Dr. Maive Rute – Director, Directorate E - Biotechnologies, 

Agriculture, Food European Commission; 

Professor Elke Anklam – Director, Institute for Health 

and Consumer Protection, European Commission’s Joint 

Research Centre; Dr. Michael E. Knowles – Chairman, European 

Technology Platform “Food for life”. 

The conference was attended by more than 400 participants 

from all over Europe: scientists, politicians, 

representatives of the industry sector, consumers’ organizations 

and others. 

The main objectives of the conference were: 

To identify main threats to the European bio-economy 

in the light of EU policies, including those pertaining 

to food industry, agriculture, nutrition safety, food quality 

and the evaluation of the diet’s impact on health and 

well-being of Europeans; 

To identify major trends in food and nutrition research; 

To propose recommendations for European research 

and innovation policy in these areas. 

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Marek Sawicki, 

delivers a speech at the session opening the Conference 

Autumn 2011 49


The conference covered three parallel 

panel sessions: 

„Sustainability in the food chain”, 

„Food qua lity and safety”, 

„Nutrition and European population 

health and well-being”. 

Professor Dariusz Nowak, PhD, from the Medical 

University of Łódź was the moderator and 

commentator of the third session. 

The first paper pertained to obesity and other 

diet-related disorders. Professor Michael J. Gibney 

from the Institute of Food and Health University 

College, Dublin outlined the scale and costs 

of the obesity epidemics as well as its effects in 

the form of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular 

diseases in the USA and Great Britain within the 

next 20 years. Whereas, in these countries, the 

obesity of children is maintained at a stable level, 

that of adults is regularly growing. Therefore, effective 

obesity prevention and diet therapy models 

are needed to be developed and the factors 

favoring overweight and obesity, including the 

genetic factors that increase or decrease the 

undesired organism reaction to overnutrition 

need to be better understood. The research conducted 

so far suggest that 3 genotypes variously 

responding to changes in diet can be considered. 

The next problem discussed in the 

speech concerned the malnutrition of 

elderly people, whose number is systematically 

growing. 

As it was emphasized by Professor M. Gibney, 

the costs of health care due to malnutrition in 

Europe are similar to those connected with the 

treatment of overweight, obesity and their complications. 

Thus, this is also a problem whose solution 

requires financial outlays, systematic approach 

and prevention measures. 

Afterwards, Professor Erik Millstone from the 

Science and Technology Policy Research, Freeman 

Centre, University of Sussex, Brighton presented 

the paper entitled “Healthy diets and 

sustainable consumption”. Not questioning the 

need for innovation as regards technology and 

food products, he presented a thesis stating that 

innovations in this field in the last 50 years lead 

not to a healthy diet but in the opposite direction. 

He drew attention to the need to determine 

the direction of innovative activities including 

benefits and risks not only for the producer but, 

first of all, for the consumer. In the European 

Union, the food production should be aimed at 

establishing healthy diet, institutional innovations, 

changes in policies and legal provisions. 

According to Professor Millstone, an example 

of the new approach may be formed by the approval 

of substances purposely added to food 

not only due to the producer’s benefits but also 

those of the consumer, and their safety (risk) 

not only from the toxicological point of view 

but also from that concerning the changes in 

nutrition elements’ consumption such as fats 

and sugars, which has not been taken into consideration 

so far. Innovative products should be 

safer and have more health-oriented effects 

than those currently present on the market. 

In the next speech, Professor Maria Koziołkiewcz 

from the Faculty of Biotechnology and 

Food Sciences of the Technical University of 

Łódź tried to answer the following question: 

50 

Autumn 2011


Conference debate were hold in the beautiful rooms of the Royal Castle in Warsaw 

“Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics – are 

they the keys for healthy nutrition?”. 

According to the speaker, the achievements of 

the nutrigenetics which deals with the impact 

of bioactive substances present in food on the 

genes expression and the nutrigenetics analyzing 

the impact of genetic factors on the response 

of the organism to a specific diet, will allow for 

better understanding of the nutrients - gene interaction 

and the development of personalized 

nutrition strategy. In the first place, new biomarkers 

of the nutrition and health condition 

as well as research as regards the demand and 

nutrition norms should be developed. However, 

the road to the optimum health and prevention 

of diseases by means of personalized dietary 

recommendations and distinguishing people 

particularly sensitive to shortages of a given nutrient 

is long and requires 

high financial outlays and 

education of the society. 

Significant part of the 

discussion was dedicated 

to obesity, including 

the role of genetic factors 

giving rise to it, as 

well as using this knowledge 

in the diet therapy. 

It was emphasized that 

obesity is caused by different 

reasons and has various 

effects for people of all 

age groups. It is particularly 

dangerous in women of 

child-bearing age because it 

affects the health of the offspring. 

Apart from obesity, 

serious problems needed 

to be solved, included nutrition 

of elderly people, both 

in view of preventing dietrelated 

diseases and their 

diet therapy, as well as the 

improvement of the life 

quality of this population 

group which is becoming 

larger and larger. The speakers 

called for the introduction 

of modern programs 

monitoring the diet and nutritional condition as 

well as expanding interdisciplinary research that 

could be used by the industry and people responsible 

for policy on public health in both short and 

long term perspective. 

In the final plenary session, the moderators 

summed up each of the sessions. 

On the day preceding the session in Warsaw, 

the participants of the conference had an opportunity 

to take part in a trip, during which they 

visited the Research Institute of Pomology and 

Floriculture in Skierniewice, the modern Dairy 

Cooperative in Łowicz and became acquainted 

with their operations. 

Press Office, Ministry of Agriculture 


Prof. Anna Brzozowska, PhD 

Department of Human Nutrition 

Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW) 

Autumn 2011 51

Poland tastes 

Unforgettable holidays: 

Eastern Poland 

Narrow-gauge 

railway on the 

Hajnówka – Topiło route 

Eastern Poland, also known as “Kresy wschodnie” (Eastern Borderlands), includes 

the territories at the eastern border of Poland neighbouring on (from the 

North to the South) Belarus, Ukraine and Slovakia. They encompass mainly the 

Podlaskie, Lubelskie and Podkarpackie Voivodeships. 

This region is an exceptional 

mix of cultures. 

The history of these lands 

is interesting and colourful, 

due to the trade routes 

from the European West 

to the countries situated 

to the East from Poland, 

as well as to wars and immigrants 

from different 

parts of the world. Traces 

of these events have survived 

in architecture, customs 

and eating habits. 

The natural values of these 

regions are also varied. 

Let’s make ourselves better 

acquainted with these territories. 

Perhaps our article 

will encourage our Readers 

to visit the eastern borderlands 

of Poland. 

We begin our journey from the region situated 

in the North – Podlasie, bordering on Belarus. This 

land abounds with the most precious forests in Poland, 

the largest of which is the Białowieża Forest. 

It is the last such a huge natural forest complex in 

Europe, covering the area of nearly 1.5 thousand 

km 2 . The Białowieża National Park was established 

here as early as in 1932. The primeval forest is the 

habitat of thousands of plant species and 11 thousand 

animal species including: woodgrouse, black 

stork, white-tailed eagle, elks, wolves and lynxes. 

It is, however, best known for its population of 

wisents – the biggest mammals in Europe. They 

have lived here for a long time, but became almost 

extinct after World War I. Since 1929, Polish natural 

scientists have tried to renew the herd of wisents 

and released the first animals to the wild in 1952; 

currently there are ca. 350 of them. In the European 

Bison Show Reserve in Białowieża tourists 

may watch wisents, Polish primitive horses, elks, 

wolves and deer. In 1977, the Białowieża National 

Park was inscribed on the UNESCO Word Network 

of Biosphere Reserves List and is the only natural 

site in Poland inscribed on the World Heritage List. 

In order to go deeper into the Forest, apart from 

walking trails, one may also use a narrow-gauge 

railway on the Hajnówka – Topiło route. While in 

Hajnówka, it is recommended to visit a beautiful 

Holy Trinity orthodox church with a surprisingly 

modern architecture. 

Speaking of orthodox historic buildings in the 

area of Podlasie, one needs to mention the Saint 

Nicholas Orthodox Church in Białowieża with an 

iconostasis made of Chinese porcelain. The most 

important place in Podlasie connected with the 

Orthodox Church is the Holy Mountain Grabarka. 

Since 1770, it has been a place of pilgrimages and 

the holiest place for the Orthodox in Poland. On 

the top of the mountain there is a small wooden 

Orthodox Church, and its slopes are covered with 

hundreds of votive crosses. 

The historic buildings of the Polish sacred architecture 

and beautiful views over the bends 

of the Bug River may, in turn, be admired in the 

Holy Trinity orthodox church in Hajnówka 

52 

Autumn 2011

Poland tastes 

town of Drohiczyn situated nearby. This nowadays 

small town surprises with a great number 

of huge churches – remains of the golden age of 

Drohiczyn from the 13 th to the 18 th century. A baroque 

Franciscan church dating from the middle 

of the 17 th century is the oldest among them. The 

view from the Castle Mountain presents the picturesquely 

meandering Bug River – Podlasie Bug 

Gorge Landscape Park. 

The evidence for Podlasie being a multicultural 

land may be found in the Tatar village of Kruszyniany. 

The Tatars were introduced to Poland in the 17 th 

century by King John III Sobieski, who incorporated 

them as extinguished warriors to the Polish army. 

He ennobled them, gave them land and located 

them in Kruszyniany and a dozen of other villages 

Theatre Festival in Zamość 

in Podlasie. Nowadays, Kruszyniany is the main site 

of Islamic cult in Poland. It has a historic wooden 

mosque, which looks like a small village church 

from the outside, but includes two minarets with 

crescents. There is also an old Muslim cemetery 

dating back to the 18 th century near the mosque. 

Another interesting place in Podlasie is Janów 

Podlaski with its famous stud farm established in 

1817. Apart from beautiful horses one may also 

admire its historic stable complex. For the last 

40 years, in the middle of August, Janów organizes 

Arabian Horse Days with shows followed by 

an auction. The Polish breed of Arabian horses is 

considered the best in the world. 

Białystok, a former private city of the Branicki 

family, is the capital of Podlasie. In the 17 th century, 

they built an impressive baroque palace referred 

to as Versailles of Podlachia, with a definitely 

royal décor. Today, the building serves as 

the seat of the Medical University of Białystok. 

Travelling further south, we enter the Lubelszczyzna 

region. It is a land with fertile soil – an 

agricultural region. There are a few interesting 

and unique places worth visiting here. Above 

all, the City of Zamość. It is the best preserved 

Renaissance town in Europe, which, as one of 

the first on the continent, was designed (by Bernardo 

Mirando – an Italian architect) 

and built from the scratch in 

accordance with the Italian views 

on the “ideal town”. Zamość was 

founded and owned by magnate 

Jan Zamoyski. Its construction began 

in the second half of the 16 th 

century. Its best known and impressive 

building is the Town Hall 

with a slender dome and a fanshaped 

double stairway leading 

to the storey. Other historic buildings 

of Zamość include the Great 

Market Square surrounded with 

renaissance tenement houses, the 

Cathedral, the Zamoyski Palace, 

Saint Nicholas Church and the Fatabenefratelli 

church and monastery. In 1992, the Old Town 

in Zamość was inscribed on the UNESCO World 

Heritage List. Zamość continues to be a city with 

an intensive cultural life including e.g. a theatre 

festival abounding with cultural events. 

Holy Mountain Grabarka 

since 1770, it is a place of 

pilgrimages in Poland 

Theatre Festival 

in Zamość by night 

Autumn 2011 53

Poland tastes 

Kozłówka Palace one of 

the most magnificent 

and popular museums of 

palace interiors in Poland 

Bieszczady National Park 

Another pearl of the Lubelszczyzna region 

is the Kozłówka Palace, near Lubartów, which 

used to be a neo-baroque residence of the Zamoyski 

family. It is one of the most magnificent 

and popular museums of palace interiors in Poland. 

The original baroque and classicist palace 

was built in the first half of the 18 th century by 

Michał Bieliński, Chełm voivode and architect. 

In 1799, the land in Kozłówka was acquired by 

the Zamoyski family. Count Konstanty Zamoyski 

expanded the palace into a great estate in 

tail (adding e.g. two towers and a terrace with a 

portico) and furnished it in a magnificent eclectic 

style of the Second Empire, which he became 

well acquainted with during his youth spent in 

France. The representative staircase and the 

palace chapel are copies of similar rooms in Versailles. 

Within the complex, it is also possible to 

visit a coach-house with a collection of horse 

carriages and travel accessories, and a theatre 

facility, where famous exhibitions presenting 

the life of former landowners are organized. 

Next to the palace, a representative Italian garden 

borders on an English style landscape park 

with a pheasantry. The museum in Kozłówka is 

Roztocze National Park 

also the only socialist realism art gallery in the 

country, with over 1600 sculptures, pictures, 

drawings, posters and other works from the 

1950s of the 20 th century. Outside of it, there is a 

commemorative lapidarium with huge monuments 

of Lenin, Bierut and Marchlewski. 

Lublin – the capital of the region – is also 

worth visiting. Its most beautiful part is the 

Old Town, situated on a brink of a slope, which 

may be entered by the gothic and baroque 

Kraków Gate. A market square with an old City 

Hall in the middle of it are situated in the very 

centre. The Dominican Basilica from the 14 th 

century is the greatest place of worship. The 

Holy Trinity Chapel situated in the courtyard of 

a 14 th century castle is, in turn, the most precious 

historic building of Lublin. 

An exceptionally picturesque nook – Roztocze 

is situated in the southern edge of Lubelszczyzna. 

Roztocze is a range of hills with forests, 

ravines and springs of numerous rivers. In 1974, 

Roztocze National Park was established in order 

to protect the most beautiful woodlands inhabited 

by many animal and bird species. Zwierzyniec 

lies on its border and is a great place to 

start the trip around the Park. 

The Lublin region borders in the South on the 

Podkarpackie Voivodeship. 

The Podkarpackie Voivodeship is one of the 

most popular tourism regions in Poland, which 

is particularly attractive due to its beauty of 

landscape and richness of culture. Bieszczady, 

the European wildlife oasis, has a special 

charm. The highest and wildest mountain 

range is covered by Bieszczady National Park 

occupying the area of 27 thousand km 2 . Bieszczady 

are inhabited by e.g. 120 wisents, brown 

bears, nearly 100 wolves, eagles, falcons and 

54 

Autumn 2011

Poland tastes 

Solina Lake – the largest artificial lake in Poland 

hawks. The historic buildings in this area include 

beautiful wooden orthodox churches – 

relics of Boykos and Lemkos who used to live 

here in the past. Bieszczady National Park is 

inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. 

Lake Solina situated at the edge of Bieszczady 

is the largest artificial lake in Poland and a 

perfect spot for sailing schools and practicing 

water sports. A considerable number of tourist 

routes, which should encourage tourists to 

go on walking tours, have been marked up in 

the region – the most interesting of them are 

located in Bieszczady. Bicycle routes of varied 

length and difficulty level also cover large areas 

of the region. Horse tourism is becoming ever 

more popular in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. 

Tourists planning to travel to Podkarpacie are 

also recommended to visit Łańcut. It is one of 

the most beautiful aristocratic residencies in Poland 

built in the first half of the 17 th century. The 

palace was owned by the Lubomirski and Potocki 

families. A magnificent Ballroom, 

court theatre, Columned 

Salon and Mirror Cabinet are a 

few of the rooms that may be 

admired there. The residence 

includes also an orangery and 

the Carriage Museum. 

Sacred and lay buildings, whose construction 

is distinguished by the influence of the Latin and 

byzantine style and reflects the long lasting presence 

of people of Jew origin on this territory, are 

another show place of the region. A tourist route 

covering wooden temples, palaces and courts, 

which leads through 175 towns. 

Rzeszów and Przemyśl are important city 

dwellings of the Podkarpacie Voivodeship. The 

historic buildings of these borderland cities 

We invite you to 

visit the eastern 

regions of Poland! 

prove their multicultural past. This concerns 

particularly Przemyśl, which is nowadays situated 

in a near vicinity of the Ukrainian border. 

In Przemyśl it is recommended 

to visit the Assumption of the 

Blessed Virgin Mary and St. John 

the Baptist Cathedral with traces 

of its gothic, baroque and Art 

Nouveau past. The Castle in Przemyśl 

was built in the middle of 

the 14 th century by king Casmir III 

the Great on the Castle Hill towering 

over the city. Its courtyard 

serves as a place of exposition for 

the relicts of a rotunda and a palatium 

– buildings dating back to 

the reign of Bolesław I Chrobry. 

Fundamentally rebuilt in the 16 th 

century in a renaissance style, 

the palace encompasses within its walls e.g. the 

theatre room of the Aleksander Fredro Dramatic 

Society – the oldest amateur 

theatre in Poland. The historic 

Clock Tower presents a view 

of the over 1000 year old Przemyśl 

and its surroundings. 

The Podkarpackie Voivodeship 

area includes also 10 

landscape parks, 17 natural parks and 71 nature 

reserves. An increasing number of agritourism 

farms, conditions for growing organic 

food and, above all, wonderful environmental 

conditions make this region a world class tourist 

centre. 




The most beautiful 

aristocratic residence built 

in the first half of the 17 th 

century in Łańcut 

Autumn 2011 55

56 56 

Autumn 2011

Beef rolls with 

mushrooms 

Beef tongues 

in grey sauce 

Polish-style tripe 

Autumn 2011 57 

57

Traditional Polish cuisine 

Delicacies from 

eastern Poland 

The areas of eastern Poland – Podlasie, Lublin region and 

Podkarpacie – provide tourists with outstanding variety of 

dishes of these regions’ traditional cuisine. Its location – close to the 

border, migrations of people and turbulent history caused that representatives 

of various nationalities such as Poles, Lithuanians, Belarusians, Tatars, Jews and 

Ukrainians have lived here side by side for centuries: Thanks to this colorful mix of 

nationalities, the dishes of the traditional cuisine are very differentiated as well. 

The fact that the products and regional dishes 

from these three eastern voivodeships are 

a quarter of products from all over the country 

reported to be entered on the List of Traditional 

Products (229 out of 916 products) proves that 

the tradition and culinary richness is being particularly 

cultivated. In the European systems, 

2 products are covered by protection: pierekaczewnik 

– as the Traditional Specialty Guaranteed 

(Podlasie) and the podkarpacki miód 

spadziowy – as the Protected Designation of 

Origin (Podkarpacie). Let's have a look into the 

kitchens in Podlasie, Lublin and Podkarpacie and 

see what was traditionally cooked there. 

Pierekaczewnik 

Podlasie cuisine means, first of all, uncomplicated 

cuisine of rural regions with strong Lithuanian 

influences. Country-style bread, sausages, 

cheese, fruit and vegetables are the largest 

natural richness that makes the dishes taste so 

delicious. 

Potato dishes, such as babka ziemniaczana 

(potato cake), kiszka ziemniaczana (kind of 

roasted sausage made of minced potatoes), 

kartacze (meat stuffed potato dumplings) or 

placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes) are famous 

all over the country. 

Both effective and tasty is sękacz cake whose 

tradition dates back to the culture of Balts. It is 

baked above a flame on a rotary spit. The liquid 

cake is pouring down the spit and solidifies in 

different shapes. The preparation of this delicacy 

is quite complicated and is required to be made 

with skill, which is why we recommend tasting it 

in Podlasie. The biggest sękacz cakes are even a 

meter high and are made of 60 eggs! 

The Koryciński cheese has its fans also 

in other regions of Poland. It is traditionally 

produced by housewives from Korycin 

and the neighboring areas using 

old recipes. The secret of production 

of the cheese consisted in using an 

appropriate enzyme produced in the 

form of powder from old, dried calf's 

stomach. At present, it is replaced by the 

rennet. It is available in numerous flavors, 

depending on the invention of the housewife 

seasoning the delicacy. 

On hot, summer days, what tastes best in Podlasie 

is botwinka – which is a mildly sour, refreshing, 

prepared of young beetroots cold soup whose 

history is closely connected with this region. 

58 

Autumn 2011


Kutia – the characteristic dish served during 

Christmas Eve supper is a fast meal of boiled 

wheat grains, poppy seeds, honey, and even 

with the so called bakalie - various nuts, raisins 

and some other additions. 

Nowadays, delicious fruit and herbs 

are used to prepare traditional liqueurs 

and aromatic vodkas. The region's 

best known drink is Żubrówka, a 

vodka produced with the addition 

of aromatic żubrówka – a 

weed that grows only in the 

Białowieża Forest. 

The flavors of Podlasie include 

also pork and meat made with the producers' 

own hands. The greatest hit is skilandis 

(kindziuk) which comes from Lithuania. The multicultural 

character of the region is proven also 

by pierekaczewnik – a dish popular in Kruszyniany 

and neighboring towns inhabited by descendants 

of Tatars from the 17 th century. 

In order to taste all Podlasie delicacies, one 

must be prepared for a many-hour feast because 

inhabitants of the region are famous for 

their hospitability. 

The regional cuisine of the Lublin region has 

also been formed under the influence of the 

nearest neighbors: Ukrainians, Lithuanians and 

Russians. The impact of the Jewish cuisine cannot 

be forgotten either. It results from the fact 

that, until World War II, the Jews constituted 

substantial part of the inhabitants of Lublin 

and many other cities. 

When speaking about the origin of dishes from 

the Lublin region, it must be mentioned that, 

similar to other regions, historic regional dishes 

stem from both the cuisine of poor people and 

from the so called courtly cuisine. In the territory 

of the Lublin region, the first one included, most 

of all, dishes made of flour, groats and potatoes, 

whereas meat, many fruit, vegetables and interesting 

spices prevailed in the courtly cuisine. 

The diversity of dishes is also influenced by 

the climatic and soil conditions as well as traditional 

crop cultivations connected with them 

in the given territory. In the Lublin region, the 

cultivation of buckwheat, being the basis for 

the production of buckwheat porridge, is very 

popular. The Lubelskie Voivodeship is also the 

main producer of hop-plants in Poland, therefore 

the beer drinking tradition has been developed. 

The Lublin region is famous also for the 

production of honey which has been used to 

prepare meads and other local beverages (e.g. 

“Grzaniec Marcina z Urzędowa”, a traditional hot 

wine based on Marcin's recipe) and dishes. 

The most characteristic dishes are being prepared 

of flour, buckwheat porridge and milletgroats. 

The Lubelskie Voivodeship is a region 

where various kinds of dumplings such as the 

Russian ones, filled with cabbage, fruit or mushrooms 

are cooked. 

Baked products such as cebularz are famous 

all over the country. The tradition of Lublin bakery 

dates back to the Middle Ages, and the first 

Cebularz was baked by Jews from the Lublin 

Old City. Afterwards, the recipe became popular 

not only in the entire Lubelskie Voivodeship but 

all over the country as well. This is a type of flat, 

oval wheat pie (with a diameter of 15-20 cm) 

with diced onion mixed with poppy on the top. It 

tastes best still warm and crispy, after just being 

taken out of the oven. 

In the territory of the Lublin region, the cultivation 

of buckwheat has been very popular for a 

long time. Thus, the buckwheat groats is a very 

important component of many traditional dishes 

of this region. These dishes include: gryczok 

godziszowski, gryczak janowski, pieróg gryczany, 

pieróg biłgorajski, pierogi nowodworskie, kaszaczki 

and dumplings filled with buckwheat groats. 

Gryczok godziszowki is a rectangular pie with 

crumble topping, whose bottom and top is made 

of pancake and filled with a layer of buckwheat 

groats roasted with cottage cheese. 

A masterpiece of the Lublin region Old-Polish 

cuisine is “pieróg biłgorajski”, which was formerly 

called “krupniak”. It can be oval or rectangular, 

baked without skin, the so called “bald” one or 

baked in a yeast cake. It looks similar to a pate. 

Pieróg biłgorajski 

Autumn 2011 59


Sauerkraut soup 

The filling is being prepared of boiled potatoes, 

roasted buckwheat groats, fat cottage cheese, 

cream, eggs, salt, pepper and mint. 

Potatoes and flour are very important elements 

of the Lublin region cuisine. These are 

mainly included in such dishes as: lemieszka (or 

prażucha) kiszka ziemniaczana, babka ziemniaczana, 

blaszak, zawijas nasutowski and Lublin 

bliny. 

Forszmak is a dish famous merely in the Lublin 

region and grown into the regions dish from 

Jewish cuisine. This is a kind of goulash. To prepare 

it, diced roasted meat or cold meat, boiled 

potatoes and pickled cucumbers can be used. 

This is merely part of the culinary tradition 

of this region. The List of Traditional Products 

includes 84 of them, and there are many that 

have not been registered so far. 

Another area in the Eastern Poland is the 

Podkarpacie. It was not a historically rich region, 

which is why dishes were prepared there 

usually of cheap and available ingredients, i.e. 

potatoes, cabbage and groats. The most popular 

traditional products of this region include: 

proziaki, kugiel, bulwiok, haluszki, krupiak, 

panepuchy, małdrzyki as well as various types 

of sour soups and dumplings. As many as 100 

of these products and dishes were entered on 

the List of Traditional Products of the Ministry 

of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

The Podkarpacie region is famous for dishes 

with mysterious names behind which simple 

dishes are hidden. These are e.g. hartacze, 

krężałki, kugiel, bulwiok, hałuszki, małdrzyki, szabanka, 

bałabuchy or krupniok. These local delicacies 

can be bought in local shops, from farmers' 

wives or at agritourism farms. Delicious dumplings 

or sour soup that, prepared on the spot, has 

unique flavor and aroma thanks to great ingredients 

produced in the Podkarpacie region, can be 

tasted everywhere. The mysterious names of the 

dishes come from the Łemkowska and Ukrainian 

cuisine that have strongly influenced the culture 

and tradition of this region for centuries. 

One of the oldest recipes passed by the inhabitants 

of the region for generations over 150 

years are the Podkarpacie proziaki, commonly 

called prosiaki. These are pancakes, similar in 

smell and texture to bread, baked on a round or 

rectangular kitchen table. They taste best with 

the addition of fresh country made butter, sweat 

cream or cold milk. 

The flisacki bread, called also chrupacki and 

plum jam from Krzeszów fried in large copper 

cauldrons without sugar. 

Cabbage has been cultivated in the Podkarpacie 

region for many years and has been very 

popular here. Therefore, it is one of the traditional 

dishes of this region. Both white and 

sauerkraut (cabbage) is used. Regional dishes 

prepared of cabbage or with the addition of cabbage 

include: gołąbki pilzneńskie, sauerkraut 

soup, lasowiacka cabbage with pearl barley, 

dumplings filled with cabbage and mushrooms, 

parowańce with cabbage and mushrooms. 

In the 15 th century, in the territory of today's 

Podkarpacie, Wołosi – shepherd people from 

the Balkans settled down. They had taught the 

local people to make cheese of goat milk earlier 

than the territory was entered by sheep-breeding. 

Such old recipes of Wołosi are used here at 

present and according to them, Wołoski goat 

cheeses – natural (white) and smoked are being 

produced. These are delicious! 

It can be said that the traditional cuisine of 

eastern Poland is a very interesting and tasty 

combination of culinary customs of much diversified 

origins. These regions are worth visiting 

and the cuisine of eastern Borderlands is 

worth tasting! 




60 

Autumn 2011

Statistics 

Chart 1. Average prices of arable land in private and public trade (APA) in PLN/ha 

Chart 4. Production of beef and its consumption in Poland in 2000-2010 

21000 

18000 

15000 

thousand tons 

450 

400 

350 

production 

consumption 

8 

7 

6 

kg/person 

12000 

300 

5 

9000 

6000 

3000 

0 

250 

200 

150 

100 

4 

3 

2 

2003 

2004 

2005 

2006 

2007 

2008 

2009 

2010 

50 

1 

Sale in private trade 

APA sale 

0 

0 

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 years 

Source: APA and GUS (Central Statistic Office) data 

Chart 2. The number of organic holdings in 2003-2010 

Source: Elaboration of MARD based on data from CSO 

Chart 5. Export of agri-food products in years 2008 - VI 2011 

25000 

mln EUR 

1400 

1300 

20000 

1200 

1100 

15000 

1000 

10000 

900 

800 

5000 

700 

0 

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 

January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

2008 

2009 2010 I-VI 2011 

Source: Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection (IJHAR -S) 

Chart 3. Arable land in the organic agriculture system (in ha) 


Chart 6. Import of agri-food products in years 2008 - VI 2011 

25000 

mln EUR 

1400 

1300 

20000 

1200 

15000 

1100 

10000 

1000 

900 

10000 

800 

5000 

700 

0 

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 

January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

2008 

2009 2010 I-VI 2011 

Source: Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection (IJHAR -S) 


Autumn 2011 61

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