Development of the food industry in Poland during the membership in the European Union

The purpose of the article is to present the impact of Poland’s membership in the European Union on the development of production of food, beverages and tobacco products. Research methods. In the research process were used such methods as: abstract and logical for presentation of the state of the Polish food industry after fifteen years of membership in the European Union; system analysis with using the mathematic methodology for analysis of the dynamics of the food industry development against the background of changes in the market environment; induction and deduction for identifying factors determining the development of the food sector (with attention to the impact of membership in the European Union) and the assessment of the position of Polish food producers in the food industry of the European Union. Research results. An economic evaluation of the Polish food industry in comparison to the countries of the European Union was made. Development rate of the food industry during the Polish membership in the European Union was relatively high but generally lower than in the whole industry. Over the analysed period (2004-2018), the food production increased by 4.2%, in average, while for the whole industry the same rate was estimated in 5.5%. The Polish food industry occupies the sixth position according to the trade value determined by the purchasing power of currencies, after the German, French, Italian, English and Spanish industries. After the integration with the EU, a position of the Polish food industry has remained unchanged, but the distance between our food industry and the largest food producers in the European Union has been clearly diminished. Currently, around 9% of the EU food are produced in Poland, with the share in the population potential of about 7.5% and, in the economic potential – of about 3% (measured by the share of GDP in the EU). In 2017, a value of the food industry’s turnover in Poland was 40-43% lower than in Germany and France, 20-25% lower than in Spain and Italy and 5% lower than in the United Kingdom. The development rate of the food industry in Poland was one of the faster rates among the EU countries, twice as fast as the European Union in average, and also higher than in the EU-13. Elements of scientific novelty. Scientific novelty of the article lies in the revealing of development of the food industry of Poland in terms of European integration. Practical significance. The research results can be used by the food sector, operators and agricultural enterprises of the EU and Ukraine. Tabl.: 2. Figs.: 2. Refs.: 9.