Poland
Country Member Summary
Adapted from a Report by the Polish Blueberry Promotion Foundation
Contributors: Dominika Kozarzewska, Stanisław (Stan) Pluta, Mariusz Podymniak, Mateusz Pilch
Planted area and yields in 2021
According to data published by the Agency for the Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture, the total acreage of blueberry plantings in 2021 amounted to 11,000ha. The total fruit production is estimated at 55,500 metric tons (Mt).
According to our estimates, conventional fresh fruit production constitutes 51,000MT, organic production is 1,500MT and fruit for processing and IQF freezing is 3,000MT.
Blueberry production under covers (tunnels and rain sheds) has been developing steadily, but it is still relatively small.
Country narrative
Production. Highbush blueberries (Northern type) have been grown commercially in Poland for over 45 years; but in particular the last five years saw an unprecedented increase in acreage and fruit production. The Polish blueberry producer base is strongly fragmented, with farms smaller than 5ha constituting around two thirds of all farms. However, the largest farms (over 50 ha) account for about 30% of the total planted area.
Production is heavily concentrated with 3 regions (Mazovia, Łódzkie and Lubelskie) in central and south-eastern Poland accounting for 54% of the total planted area. The three regions are also growing at a fast pace and account for 64% of total planted area growth between 2020 and 2021.
The 2021 season was different from the previous ones in that the traditional ‘Bluecrop’ peak in early August was preceded by a ‘Duke’ peak in July. This is attributable to mass plantings of this variety in recent years. Due to the ‘Duke’ peak and ensuing decrease in prices, many growers were heavily concerned about the financial outcome of the season. However, in late August and early September there was considerable demand for blueberry fruit for processing resulting in relatively high prices, which “saved” the season for many growers.
With regard to new plantings, recent releases such as ‘Last Call’, ‘Megas Blue’, ‘Valor’, ‘Cargo’ and ‘Calypso’ are gaining popularity. Many test plantings of these new varieties have been put in place with the aim of verifying their adaptation and suitability for Poland’s climate, including winter hardiness. The severe (frosty) and snowy winter of 2020/2021 and mild winter of 2021/2022 have already allowed growers to gain some valuable information, but full evaluation will require more time.
Polish commercial blueberry farms are drip irrigated, and most of them are equipped with fertigation systems with different levels of technical sophistication. In general, blueberry fruit for the fresh market is hand-picked. Machine harvest takes place on bigger farms, usually only at the end of the season and the fruit is destined for processing. Many Polish growers and producer organisations possess state-of-the-art cold storage and packing facilities.
Late 2021 and early 2022 saw an unprecedented increase in the costs of many production materials, including but not limited to fertilisers, plant protection products and packaging.
The impact of the war in Ukraine on the availability of labour for Polish growers is yet to be assessed. It is however already clear that during the 2022 season growers will face new challenges such as providing additional accommodation and day care for the children of refugee workers.
Sales
Domestic demand for blueberry fruit increased sharply within the last 3-4 years. This can be attributed to the “Time for Polish Superfruit” promotional campaign, which is run jointly by growers of various small fruit. At the start of the pandemic, in the spring of 2020, we observed a surge in consumption of imported blueberries, but in 2021 consumption patterns went back to normal. In August 2021 penetration amounted to 53% and it was 8 percentage points higher than in August 2020, which translates into 2.5 million new consumers. Huge increases are also happening outside of the Polish season, with the number of consumers in April 2022 being 50% higher than in April 2021. Consumption per capita per annum has exceeded 1 kg already in 2020.
Most of the fruit produced in Poland is exported. The biggest export markets include Germany which has now taken over the UK as the main importer (probably partly as a result of Brexit), followed by the Netherlands and Scandinavian countries.
The general sentiment in the Polish blueberry industry is now considerably less optimistic than a few years ago, mostly due to decreasing profitability. However, commercial growing of highbush blueberries remains an attractive alternative to apple orchards, for example. The grower mentality is also slowly changing – more and more producers are becoming aware that further market development cannot be achieved without offering high quality fruit.
Outlook for the future. The key challenges Polish growers are now facing include rising costs, the need to increase fruit quality, and the consolidation of production. If Poland is to remain competitive on the global blueberry market, fruit quality parameters such as firmness, crunchiness and shelf life must be improved. This can be achieved mostly through introducing new genetics, but also modern production technologies.
Promotional activities. The highly successful and efficient “Time for Polish Superfruit” campaign continues in 2022. It promotes the consumption of blueberries and other soft fruit using, among others, the concept of “Berry Relay”, which emphasises the fact that Polish soft fruit is available for 8 months of the year, with seasons for various berry fruits following one another.
The 2022 edition of the campaign will include, among others, participation in the National Sports Day. According to consumer research, blueberries top the list of soft fruit associated by Poles with fitness and exercise and the event will seek to reinforce this image.