In 2006, meat imports amounted to PLN 1.5 billion.
“I’m terrified with the fact that Polish meat producers and slaughter houses are about to stop being profitable. An important reason for this are growing meat imports from Western Europe to international retailers”, an anonymous owner of a meat company said.
He stressed that while Western European companies may easily sell in Poland, Polish firms must get quality certificates first to do the same abroad. Witold Choinski, the head of Polish Meat Association confirms it and adds that there are plans to change the situation.
“We want to found in Poland a meat guarantee system similar to those existing in other EU countries”, Witold Choinski said.
Big retailers admit that they import meat but assure that the imports are not as big as Polish producers say. Renata Juszkiewicz representing Metro Group said that imported meat amounts to some dozen percent of all sales.
“We have noticed growth for the last several years but the growth rate was not big”, Renata Juszkiewicz said.
Tesco representative refused to give details.
“Basically, we try to buy food from Polish deliverers. Meat bought abroad is just supplementary in our offer. We buy it in case of turmoil in Poland”, Przemyslaw Skory, Tesco Polska spokesman said.
Meat is imported not only by retailers but also by meat producers.
“Today, the quality and price are the most important elements when buying meat. Big companies have to produce goods of the same quality so they are looking for meat with good parameters. Unless they can buy it here, they import it”, Jerzy Majchrzak from Sokolow meat company said.
Representatives of the meat sector point out that meat bought in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands is often cheaper than in Poland and you can buy big quantities of the same product.
(PLN 1 = EUR 0.263)