Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the volume and structure of agriculture production in Poland

Abstract

The article aims to identify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the volume and structure of agricultural production in Poland. The literature on pandemics in the past shows that plague influenced the volume and the structure of agriculture output. The consequences varied between the pandemics and in the frame of the same pandemic between countries. What's more, the length of the analysis period matters. The short-term effects were generally damaging however, the evaluation perspective matters. The assessment of long outcomes is complex. The positive, profound long-run effects were identified. The past pandemics impacted the economy and agriculture through the decrease in the availability of labour because of massive deaths. In the pandemic COVID-19, this channel of transmission occurred as well, but in the form of shortages of labour forces due to governments’ restrictions on people's movement. The analyses found that in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland, agriculture production did not decrease. It stemmed from the time gap between the production decisions and getting output. A modest reduction occurred in the second year of plaque. The analyses of the structure and dynamics of the sown area show that farmers restrain themselves from the changes in plant production. Larger adjustments took place in the sector of animal products than in plant products. The most remarkable changes took place in branches of animal production depending on export. Because of the plummet in egg prices, egg production decreased in 2020 and 2021. The fall in meat prices in 2020 resulted in a drop in the meat production in 2021. Despite the unfavourable changes in milk prices, milk production was stable.