Tendencje w handlu zagranicznym produktami rolno-spożywczymi w Polsce w latach 1995-2013

Trends in foreign trade have an impact on the country position in the international market. The paper presents trends in the Polish foreign trade of agri-food products in years 1995-2013. The geographical composition of Poland’s foreign trade was analyzed in the breakdown into different groups of countries: EU-15, EU-12, Former Soviet Union (FSU), EFTA and other countries. The analysis showed that the trade value in agricultural raw materials and processed products increased between 1995 and 2013, with substantial rises since 2004. Agricultural import growth rate has been slower than the export one. Since 2003 Poland has recorded positive trade balance with remarkable increase after the accession. Poland is a net exporter of agri-food products. In 2013 trade balance gave a 5738 million euro surplus, of which with EU-15: +3267 million euro, EU-12: +2424 million euro, FSU: +1669 million euro, EFTA: -527 million euro and with other countries: -1095 million euro. In trade of agricultural raw materials Poland is a net importer. After 2004 markets of EU-15 received 58% of rising polish agri-food exports, EU-12 – 20.7%, FSU – 10.4%, 0,7% EFTA and 10.2% other countries. Over 60% of rising imports came from EU-15, followed by EU-12 (11.1%), Former Soviet Union countries (5.4%), EFTA countries (4.8%) and other countries provided about 17.5% of imported products.