Poland is among the leading producers of strawberries in the European Union. The share of the strawberry cultivation area in the total domestic berry cultivation area is 27–28%.
In the production of strawberries, Poland is ranked third among the European Union countries, with a share of 13% in the EU production and thirteenth in the global market. The global leader in the strawberry market remains China, with a production exceeding 3.3 million tonnes, and, to a lesser extent, the United States, with a harvest of more than 1 million tonnes. In the European Union, apart from Poland, the group of the largest producers of strawberries includes Spain, with a share of 25% share in the EU production, and Germany, with a share of 14%. The popularity of strawberry cultivation in Poland results from favorable soil and climatic conditions, domestic demand for dessert fruit and fruit preserves, and the continuing demand from foreign consumers – mainly for frozen strawberries. Their growing availability also favors the consumption of strawberries.
Currently, the season for strawberries begins at the beginning of the second quarter (thanks to fruit from greenhouse crops) and lasts until late autumn, when the fruit of varieties repeating fruiting are available. The production of strawberries is conducted mainly in smaller family farms, managing plantations with an area of 1 to 10 ha. The cultivation of strawberries in Poland is characterized by a clear regionalization.
The largest cultivation areas are located in the:
- Mazowieckie Voivodeship (53% of the national strawberry cultivation area).
- Lubelskie Voivodeship (with the share of 14%),
- Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (with the share of 8%) and
- Łódzkie Voivodeship (with the share of 6%).
For more information:
Ministry of agriculture, nature and food quality of the Netherlands
www.government.nl/en