Fewer potatoes in Poland. And we were a European-scale powerhouse

Poland used to be a leader in potato production. At the moment, the scale of production is only a shadow of what it used to be. Of course, many factors influenced the reduction in potato acreage. In the post-war years, potatoes were the basis of nutrition. They were grown by practically all farms, including the smallest ones, which hardly produced anything for the market. It should be noted, however, that the scale of potato cultivation is smaller than before, not only in Poland. The reduction in acreage concerns practically all of Europe. However, in Poland, the decrease in potato acreage was the greatest. For many years, our country was the largest potato producer in Europe after the USSR. Currently, although Polish potato production is strong by European standards, it is smaller than in Germany or France. 

There were more potatoes in Poland than wheat.

Statistical data indicate that even before World War II, over 3 million hectares of potatoes were cultivated in Poland. However, this area is not representative of our current reality - after the war, the area of ​​Poland decreased. However, in 1946, within the new borders, the area of ​​potatoes amounted to 1.7 million hectares. For a country that was being rebuilt, with massive war damage, this is a lot. The fact is that potatoes were available, and above all, relatively cheap. The country needed cheap food, and within the next few years, potatoes were planted in the country on about 2.6 million hectares. This is more than we currently sow winter wheat. 

Potatoes on 3 million hectares?

At the turn of the 1960s and 1970s, the potato area was close to 3 million hectares. Approximately, this is the area currently sown in Poland for corn and rape (together). 

The graph shows that only in recent years has sugar beet not only caught up with potatoes in terms of area, but also overtaken this crop. What is noticeable, however, is that large declines in potato production in Poland occurred during the period of political transformation. Although the downward trend has been observed since the 1980s, the 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century were the period of the greatest reduction in area. The curve has been flattening out somewhat in the last 15 years, nevertheless the area of ​​domestic potatoes has fallen to such a level that it barely fits into the top 10 crops in the country. At the moment, we have about 200 thousand hectares of potatoes in Poland. 

What will happen in the coming years? Some estimate a further decrease in the area of ​​potatoes in Poland. This crop is difficult to cultivate professionally without a sprinkler, and opinions are emerging among growers that potatoes are quite unstable in terms of price. We can already see that the domestic agricultural market is looking for many alternatives, such as soybeans or peas. But will potatoes "go out of fashion"? It is difficult to find a substitute for this plant, so much will depend on trends, including consumer trends.