agriculture and food economy in poland

Although farms of over 10 ha constitute only 19%, they utilise over 50% of UAA.
Enlargement of the existing farms is a permanent process supported by preferential
credits. In 2003 a growing interest in agricultural land purchases was noted, related
mainly to an anticipated increase in land prices following accession to the EU.
Table 3. Average prices of arable land and meadows in private trading in 1995 and 2003 (price for 1 ha)
Source: Agriculture in 2003. GUS, Warszawa 2004.
AGRICULTURE
w dt
Specification Year
PLN Rye Live
pigs for slaughter
Arable land on average 1995 2421 90,2 9,3
2003 5753 142,2 18,2
- good quality (wheat-beet) 1995 6712 161,7 18,6
2003 7960 196,7 25,2
- average quality (rye-potato) 1995 4920 118,5 13,7
2003 5801 143,4 18,4
- poor quality (sandy) 1995 2725 65,6 7,6
2003 3497 86,4 11,1
Meadows of good quality 1995 4883 117,6 13,6
2003 5168 127,7 16,4
- poor quality 1995 2753 66,3 7,6
2003 3049 75,4 9,6
Despite a rise in land prices, they remain at a low level. In 2003, as expressed in
Euro, the average price of arable land was 130.8 Euro/ha (181 Euro/ha for good
quality arable land), and that of good quality meadows – 117.5 Euro/ha.
On 16 July 2003, the Law of 15 April 2003 on the agricultural structure took
effect laying down the rules for trade in agricultural land. Its main objective is to
create conditions for improving the agrarian structure of farms and to counteract
excessive concentration of agricultural property. Upon land purchases and sales
preference is given to family farms, the maximum size of which has been defined at
300 ha of UAA, run personally by a private farmer with appropriate qualifications.
Real estate purchases by foreigners are provided for in the Law of 24 March
1920, pursuant to which they are required to obtain a permit from the Minister of
Internal Affairs and Administration for a property purchase and in the case of
agricultural land – an additional permit from the Minister of Agriculture and Rural
Development. The permit for a property purchase may be issued only when a
foreigner declares that he or she will utilise the land bought in the way as specified
in the land management plan. Upon the granting of permits preference is given to
persons of Polish origin and those with “permanent residence cards”.
In 2003, 248 applications for 1 225 ha were submitted to the Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development. Permits were granted in the case of 178
applications for almost 480 ha. In 2003 most applications were lodged by German
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