9. POLAND

9.1 Overview of the economy

Poland today stands out as one of the most successful and open transition economies. The privatization of small- and medium-sized state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms marked the rapid development of a private sector, now responsible for 70% of economic activity. In contrast to the vibrant expansion of private non-farm activity, the large agriculture component remains handicapped by structural problems, surplus labour, inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. The government's determination to enter the EU as soon as possible affects most aspects of its economic policies. Improving Poland's worsening current account deficit and tightening monetary policy, now focused on inflation targeting, are also priorities. Warsaw continues to hold the budget deficit to around 2% of GDP. Structural reforms advanced in pensions, health care and public administration in 1999, but resulted in larger than anticipated fiscal pressures. Further progress on public finance depends mainly on privatization of Poland's remaining state sector. Re-structuring and privatization of “sensitive sectors” (e.g. coal and steel) has begun, but much remains to be done. Growth in 2000 was expected to be moderately above 1999.

9.2 Import policies

Poland’s current trade policies are shaped primarily by its WTO commitments and - increasingly - by the prospect that Poland will become a full EU member sometime after 2003. Poland’s trade regime during the 1990s was marked by an overall trend towards lower tariffs, although the government did impose an import surcharge from 1993-1996. The past decade has also seen Poland conclude a number of preferential trade agreements, including its Europe agreement with EU and free trade agreements with EFTA, the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA), the Baltic states and Turkey. As a result of its preferential trade agreements, most of Poland’s imports enter duty free.

9.3 Fisheries data

Commodity balance (1999)

NOTES: (1) Including: marine catches, aquaculture, inland fisheries and recreational catches. (2) Estimated value

9.4 Production

As a result of the many political changes, Polish fish production declined through the whole decade. In 1998, groundfish (cod, hake and haddock) was the species group where Poland had its largest production. Small pelagics (herring, sardines and anchovies) was the second-largest species group, followed by carp.

Figure 40. Total Polish seafood production, 1990-1999 (quantity; tonnes)

In the beginning of the decade, in 1990, squid, cuttlefish and octopus was also an important group in Polish production, but during the 1990s this element almost disappeared from production statistics. There has also been a severe decline in the production of groundfish, but the production of small pelagics has increased. Other species groups where there has been positive development is carp, barbel and cyprinids, and for krill plankton and planktonic crustaceans. This has not however been enough to compensate for the severe decline in codfish production, where the catch fell from 312 011 t in 1990 to 95 130 t in 1998.

9.5 Exports

In 1998 Poland was the 38th exporter, ranked by value, with exports of US$ 274 million. Despite the decline in production, the export level has fluctuated between about 130 000 t and 200 000 t, with a value in the range US$ 180 million to US$ 270 million, with no one year marking itself as exceptional. Imports, however, have increased steeply in both value and quantity, formed mainly by small pelagics from Norway.

Figure 41. Total seafood exports from Poland, 1990-1998

Most of Poland’s export value comes from the EU, with Japan, USA and other eastern European countries having about equal shares. The most important products are frozen fish fillets, frozen fish meat and frozen cod, mackerel and herring. According to the data, almost all product groups have increased in export value. This reflects the big changes at the beginning of the decade, both within the Polish economy in general and in the Polish fish industry in particular. Therefore, many products seem to have increased from nothing, when it could be that exports have simply recovered to earlier levels. The biggest decline in the decade was for mackerel and fresh fish fillets.

Figure 42. Poland’s exports by destination in 1998

9.6 Imports

Most of the Polish import consist of herring and mackerel from Norway, some frozen groundfish from Russia, and fishmeal. Some of the imports are intended for processing and re-export, foremost to the EU.

Figure 43. Total seafood imports by Poland, 1990-1998

Figure 44. Polish seafood imports 1996-1998, on a value basis (US$ ‘000s) by source

9.7 Trade on a commodity basis

9.7.1 Exports

Most of Poland’s exports are fresh, chilled or frozen products. However, towards the end of the decade there was increased presence of value-added product categories.

9.7.2 Imports

As Poland saw a severe decline in own production, imports increased markedly. Much of Poland’s imports are fresh and frozen products that are destined for processing and re-export, and most of the imports are fresh and frozen small pelagics from Norway, which enter duty free.

Figure 45. Overview of Poland’s seafood exports, by commodity, 1990-1998

Poland export commodity groups 1990 - 1998 - a

Poland export commodity groups 1990 - 1998 - b

Figure 46. Overview of Poland’s seafood imports, by commodity, 1990-1998

Poland import commodity groups 1990 - 1998 - a

Poland import commodity groups 1990 - 1998 - b