Quantitative description of the fruit industry and fruit supply chains in Poland

The development of consumer-driven, efficient, responsive and innovative supply chains is crucial for the growth of fruit consumption in Europe and for a competitive, sustainable fruit sector. Currently, fruit supply chains are characterized by a relatively low level of consumer orientation and consumer-driven innovations. The awareness of the functioning of supply chains in the European fruit sector should be increased to be able to increase the level of consumer-drivenness, efficiency, and responsiveness of fruit supply chains. This paper presents the results of review of fruit supply chains’ from the fruit industry in Poland. The analysis of supply chains is preceded by a review of fruit consumption, fruit production, trade characteristic and trends. Moreover, the role of different actors in the functioning of fruit supply chains is presented as well as their quantitative characteristics. To present the characteristics of the fruit industry in Poland with particular attention to functioning of supply chains in Poland, desk research was carried out. This type of research includes use of general access sources of information. The following sources were used: literature on functioning of supply chains and role of particular actors in a chain, analyses considering characteristic of fruit industry conducted by various research institutes as well as reports on a current state and development perspectives of fruit market in Poland. In addition, statistical data from the national statistical office were used.