Second day World Food Warsaw fairly quiet

Thursday, 10 April; the second day of the food fair World Food Warsaw was fairly quiet. According to many, this had to do with the fact that it was the first time that the event has been organised. In any case, exhibitors were enthusiastic about the quality of the visitors.

Of nearly 100 exhibitors at the fair, about half belong to the fresh or processed horticultural sector. It is clear that apples play a big role in Poland, as the top fruit cooperatives are well represented. Last year, Poland exported even more than China, a record volume of nearly 1.2 million tonnes. In terms of quality, it is often said that Polish growers are a little behind. Companies also agree that this was the case a few years ago, but they have certainly shown to have made plenty of progress. This is due, among other reasons, to subsidies from the EU, with which larger investments could be made in machinery and quality. Poland has thus become a formidable competitor to other European top fruit producing countries, especially because they can produce more cheaply. Besides apples, Poland is also known for the growing of soft fruit, by which it receives positive feedback, with products being exported worldwide. A current issue is that companies with Russian clients are afraid Russia will start rejecting their fruit, like they already did with pork.

The Polish economy is growing strongly and some 25 years after the end of the Communist regime, the country is developing in various fields. In recent years, the focus is increasingly on healthy eating and lifestyle, with the government, as well as companies themselves, promoting the consumption of fruit and vegetables. There are also big initiatives organised at schools and it is expected that healthy trends will continue to grow significantly in the coming years. Convenience products like fresh cut fruit are harder to market, since the average Pole is still not willing to spend too much money on such products.