Changes in Polish Agriculture from 2004 to 2022 in the Light of Economic Conditions and European Union Membership

AimThe aim of the article was to identify changes in domestic agriculture and their determinants affecting the economic situation of farms during Poland's membership in the EU. Material and MethodsThe analyses were based on empirical material, including data from public statistics (Statistics Poland, ARMA and Eurostat) and the literature on the subject. The study used descriptive, historical, and index methods as well as the method of a scoping literature review. The observation period covered the years 2004–2022. ResultsThe analysis of public statistics data and the literature review showed that in almost two decades since Poland's accession to the EU, economic changes took place which affected the situation of the agricultural sector, agricultural structures, and farms. An important role in processes under examination was played by the instruments of the EU common agricultural policy, stabilizing the position of farmers, especially in terms of improving their income situation and enhancing the possibilities for growth and modernization of production within the developing agri-food sector. ConclusionsHowever, during the analyzed period, no significant structural transformations in agriculture were observed, especially in the agrarian structure. They followed a trend towards the concentration of agricultural land in relatively larger and commercially viable farms, but the scale and pace of this process was small, which was associated with the effects of EU and national agricultural policy solutions.