FARMLAND ACQUISITION BY FOREIGNERS IN POLAND IN YEARS 2000–2013

Abstract

The present study aimed at identification and evaluation the issue of agricultural land acquisition by foreigners in Poland in the years 2000–2013. The authors have used secondary data from: the Ministry of Interior, the Agricultural Property Agency (APA) and the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Food Economy. The issue of farmland acquisition regulation in UE countries was also mentioned. The area of agriculture land acquired in the analyzed time is 5 0833, 98 hectare. The phenomenon most intensively affects legal persons (with permission of Minister of Interior) who purchase 68.7 % of it. Having considered the analyzed issue from the perspective of the country of origin, Germany and Austria dominate in natural persons (49.04 %) and in the case of legal entities leaders are: Germany and the Netherlands (58.27 %).Significant for interest of polish agricultural land by foreigners was Poland’s accession to the European Community, when in the real estate market a recovery from the foreigners side happened. The future situation in the agricultural land market in Poland is determined by the political decisions and public opinion pressure, especially before 1 May 2016. Present prepositions of changes in the regulation will rather do not limit requirements in land acquisition by foreigners like in Hungary, Slovakia, Lithuania or Bulgaria.