ROLE OF IMPORTS IN THE SUPPLY OF RAW MATERIALS IN THE FOOD PROCESSING SECTOR IN POLAND

The aim of the article is to assess the significance of imports in the supply of raw materials to the food processing sector in Poland. Production of food products in Poland shows high development dynamics. Mainly products from domestic agriculture are the raw material base for it. The progressing internationalization processes of the Polish food sector, resulting from globalization and economic integration, mean that the significance of imported agricultural raw materials is gradually increasing. In the analysis of the structure of the value of total raw material resources, mainly statistical data from the Central Statistical Office and the Ministry of Finance were used. The study covered the years 2003-2021. The analysis shows that during Poland’s membership in the European Union, the share of imported products in the total raw material resources of the food sector almost doubled to approx. 40%. The products are mainly raw materials imported from other climatic zones. This does not change the fact that food production in Poland is still based primarily on the domestic raw material base. Individual branches of the domestic food industry apply diversified strategies related to raw material supply and production and commercial risk management, which results from different conditions of their operation, including a different ownership structure.