THE ECONOMIC AND PRODUCTION-RELATED SITUATION OF POLISH AGRICULTURE OVER THE PERIOD FROM 2015-2021

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the economic and production-related situation of Polish agriculture during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis covered the years 2015-2021, i.e. in addition to the years of the pandemic’s occurrence in Poland (2020-2021), the research period included 5 earlier years, in order to identify possible changes during the pandemic. In order to attain the objective, the data from the Economic Accounts for Agriculture – EAA, published by Eurostat, was used. A library query and secondary data from the Eurostat database were employed. Over the years 2015-2021, the value and quantity of agricultural production in Poland increased. In the first year of the pandemic, the value of production increased nominally by 13.7%, and by 8% in real terms. This growth mainly stemmed from the increase in the volume of plant production. The second year of the pandemic brought a slight decrease in the production volume – by 0.8%. It resulted primarily from yield deterioration. The time of the pandemic was characterized by considerable changes in agricultural income. Unfavourable price changes in 2021, related to a large increase in costs, caused the income from agriculture rise in the first year of the pandemic, but over the second year of COVID-19, the income situation deteriorated significantly. Worse farming conditions related mainly to an increase in the cost of loans and the prices of production means may have a significant impact on the food security of the Polish society.