The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is one of the exhibitors at the IFE trade fair in London. In what way does the Ministry support Polish manufacturers – exporters of food?

- During this year’s IFE trade fair in London, the ministry is organising presentations of products distinguished with the Try Fine Food [PL: Poznaj Dobrą Żywność] symbol for the first time. These products will be presented at a stand having an area of 60 metres. The support that we give to Polish manufacturers is above all the promotion of products with the TFF symbol. We would like to invite the manufacturers of distinguished products to participate in this presentation.

What is the Try Fine Food programme?

- The main goal of the Try Fine Food Programme is to inform of the high quality of food products. The quality symbol TFF is information, which is to help consumers in choosing the products appropriate for them; it also aims at increasing the consumer’s trust towards a food product through the information of its high and stable quality. The programme aims at distinguishing the products, which manufacturers, apart from meeting high requirement of access to the market, also add that “something” – something which makes them stand out, e.g. in sweets, it is reducing the number of additives to the minimum; in the case of poultry, it is for example feeding the animals with GMO-free forage, or using product supervision procedures that are higher than those which are bound by regulations, or a significant share of manual work in the production.

Do manufacturers pay for participating in the programme?

- The programme is free; there are no fees for participating and submitting an application. The only cost which the manufacturer must bear is the cost of preparing documentation in accordance with the requirements, and delivering samples of products necessary for assessment. The decision of granting this symbol is made by a scientific board consisting of 17 independent specialists. After a positive opinion of this body, the Minister grants the product with the Try Fine Food symbol. The symbol is not granted for good. The first time it is granted for a maximum of 3 years, and the next time for 5 years. Then, it is necessary to undergo a control procedure again, file a report on what has been happening with the product. At the moment, almost 1000 products have or are waiting for being granted with the TFF symbol.

Do any of the product groups especially stand out when it comes to the number of awarded symbols?

- Practically all of the product groups may apply for it. Moreover, not only manufacturers acting on the territory of Poland may strive for it, but also all manufacturers acting on the whole European Union territory. Hence, the promotional activities of the symbol at foreign trade fairs, like IFE or Grüne Woche, SIAL or ANUGA.

Are Polish manufacturers visible at foreign trade fairs?

- More and more. The best answer is this year’s ISM trade fair in Cologne, in which a record number of Polish manufacturers of sweets took part.

In what way did the Polish goods export change after joining the European Union?

- The effect of joining the Union was surprising even for the manufacturers, who were counting on an increase in export, but such great interest in Polish products and possibilities of existing on other markets were not expected. The Ministry has also participated in it. Before joining the European Union, we presented Polish food products and spoke of their high quality and safety of their manufacturing. Our activities caused interest in tradesmen, who began searching for Polish products, when they were convinced that they are of the highest world quality, they are not worse in quality than foreign products. It is also the work of Polish manufacturers, who through participation in trade fairs and watching what others have to offer, prepared for opening the EU market for Poland.

The United States of America have special import procedures caused by the implementation of the bioterrorism law, do other market have such limitations making export more difficult for Polish manufacturers?

- The Polish product is a Union product and the limitations for markets outside the European Union are common for all the Member States and conditioned by many factors – apart from the safety of a given product, there are also specific political or social limitations. Every country, if there is such a possibility, tries to protect its market against foreign products. In some countries Polish products have easier access, because they have been present there for years and there is a consumer market, which remembers the taste of Polish products there. Some markets are still closed for manufacturers from the European Union, e.g. the Indian market, which is very interesting and promising. Instead of limitations, we should talk about barriers, which we are trying to break and meet all the recipients’ requirements.

What other markets, aside from India, are especially difficult to enter for Polish manufacturers?

There are no easier and more difficult markets. Every market is difficult until one exists on it and finds consumers. If the consumer wants the Polish product, then the market will deliver it.

Is it not easier in countries where there are large Polish agglomerations?

- The “old polish emigration” remembers traditional Polish products; however, they don’t know the new goods that are manufactured in Poland at present. They get to know them through the “new emigration”. An interesting thing is the increase of sales of Polish products by the citizens of a given country, who through their contacts with Poles, get to know Polish products, try them and in effect, begin to buy. It is something else, something they have not ever tried, e.g. cottage cheese, or Polish bread, which is different in taste, or traditional Polish cold meats, which have been famous for their quality and taste for years. Of course Polish sweets, which have already gained acknowledgment and are more and more available on foreign markets. Another product group is fruit and vegetable preserves, not only traditional frozen foods or jams or pickled gherkin, but also vegetable salads and ready-made meals, which were not widely known; but together with the new emigration, they appeared on store shelves and gained acknowledgement of the foreign consumer.

What are the main directions of export of agrarian-food products? Who is the biggest recipient?

- The Members of the European Union remain the main output market for Polish agrarian-food articles. During three quarters of 2008, the first recipient of Polish food in the Union and in the world was Germany. Great Britain was second, then respectively, The Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, France and Hungary. Popular directions are Russia, Lithuania and Ukraine.
In the export of powder milk returned our traditional recipients – the Arab countries. A huge challenge is the attempt to exist on the Chinese market, very distant, but having huge possibilities of taking in food products. Together with the Chinese society getting richer, the interest in the Premium products, also foreign, grows. China may become a significant recipient of poultry, pork, sugar and sweets. One product is present and well perceived on the Chinese market – Polish vodka. When it comes to recognisability, Wyborowa comes in second, after Absolut, western vodka on the Chinese market. Fruit and vegetable preserves can have a great significance, as the Chinese use very little salt and our preserves are not preserved with salt.

What agrarian-food products do we most often export?

- According to our data, in the first three quarters of 2008, traditionally the biggest share of the structure of foreign trade of agrarian-food product belonged to vegetable and animal products (85% value of export). Similarly to previous years, the most valuable position in export were processed products (74% share), and among them, red meat and its offal (10%), confectionery and bakery products (11%) and fruit and vegetable preserves (14%), as well as milk (also powder), cream and ice-cream (6%), poultry and giblets (5%). Among raw materials, fresh fruit and vegetables were the most valued position (7%).

What are the prospects for Polish export? At the time of economic slowdown, is there a significant decrease in export activity expected?

- At the moment, it is difficult to estimate the changes after the first month of the new year; we don’t have complete data for the third quarter of the previous year. Estimating changes and trends is wild guessing at the moment and not a reliable analysis. Consumers, who have tried and appreciated our products, will continue buying them, because they like them. To tell you the truth, it is the client who decides on the shape of the market.

Thank you for the interview.

Tamara Prusak