Sborník 2009 díl 2. - Fakulta informatiky a managementu - Univerzita ...

Iwona Szczepaniak EVALUATION OF THE COMPETITIVENESS OF POLISH FOOD PRODUCERS
AFTER THE ACCESSION TO THE EUROPEAN UNION
pended on a significant competitive superiority of Polish food producers over the producers
from other EU Member States.
Material and methods
This study is based on statistical data from the National Research Institute of Agricultural
and Food Economics, Central Statistical Office, the Ministry of Agriculture and
Rural Development and the Ministry of Finances, which were used for the analysis of
data concerning foreign trade with agri-food products.
Results
Almost five years, after Poland’s accession to the European Community it is already
obvious that entering the ECM structures turned out to be very advantageous for Polish
food industry. The outcome of foreign trade with agri-food products is very good. Despite
various conditions, this constitutes a confirmation of the fact that the sector is well
prepared to function in the ECM and in the majority of other markets. Food producers
successfully make use of their competitive advantages, which in most cases refer to
prices. There was a great increase of the export of Polish agri-food products, which
compensated, with surplus, much lower increase of the import of such goods. Polish
food producers improved their situation on the enlarged Union’s market. The mutual
and full opening of the markets was not, as some economists and politicians maintained,
a factor that might have had jeopadised the development of Polish food industry, but
something absolutely contrary. It became a very strong incentive for the development.
The outcomes of Poland’s foreign trade in agri-food products are a good proof of it.
The preparedness of Polish food industry for the EU membership was a result of many
factors. Firstly, the technical condition of many important branches of food industry was
much better than expected. This was because Polish producers implemented a large
number of investments in order to adjust the plants to the EU standards in the period
directly preceding the accession. Secondly, our producers showed a good knowledge of
Union’s markets and high degree of activeness, as well as the good skills as regards
operating on these markets. Another factor was an inflow of direct foreign investment
and participation of foreign strategic investors, who entered numerous Polish foodproducing
enterprises. This caused not only diminishing a technological gap between
Polish and EU-15 food industry, but also resulted in promulgating modern quality management
systems, in introducing new methods in the marketing, and in developing human
capital. Numerous Polish enterprises became a part of foreign firms. As a result,
they have automatically began their participation in the processes of globalisation and
international specialisation. The activity of international trading networks was also quite
important, because by buying Polish food products for entire networks they became a
kind of „ambassadors” of Polish food.
In 2004, the value of Polish agri-food products increased by 31%, as compared to 2003.
The increase of imports was less significant and amounted to almost 24%. Such a rapid
increase of exports in 2004 did not constitute a single leap as a result of integration
and its immediate impact. In subsequent years the increase of foreign exchange in agrifood
products continued. In 2005, the exports increased by more than 34% and imports
by nearly 22% and in 2006 by 21 and 19% respectively. In 2007, the development of
Polish trading exchange continued, but for the first time the imports developed faster than
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