Exhibiting at Asia Fruit Logistica 2025

The Polish Fruit Growers Association (Związek Sadowników Rzeczpospolitej Polskiej) is the largest and most influential organization representing the interests of fruit growers in Poland. Headquartered in Grójec, one of the country’s key fruit-growing regions, the association plays a critical role in advocacy, education, industry coordination, and policy dialogue. It serves as the unified voice of over 20,000 fruit producers and cooperatives, contributing significantly to Poland’s position as one of Europe’s leading fruit exporters.

Core Business

As a non-profit grower organization, the Polish Fruit Growers Association’s mission is to:

• Represent the interests of Polish fruit producers at the national and EU levels.
• Negotiate policy and subsidy support with the Polish government and EU bodies.
• Promote Polish fruits in domestic and international markets.
• Provide technical support, training, and industry updates to growers.
• Coordinate responses to market disruptions, weather-related crises, and phytosanitary challenges.

The association works closely with ministries, inspection bodies, EU agricultural committees, and industry stakeholders to safeguard grower interests and support the long-term sustainability of Polish orchards.

Product and Service Offerings

Though the association does not engage in direct fruit trade, its services to members and the industry include:

• Policy advocacy and legal representation.
• Sectoral promotion and branding support.
• Export facilitation through fairs, B2B matchmaking, and trade missions.
• Workshops, conferences, and agronomic training.
• Technical publications and alerts on pest control, fertilization, and climate issues.
• Coordination of crisis management and compensation schemes.

Additionally, the association publishes monthly bulletins and reports on market trends, regulatory changes, and harvest forecasts.

Specialization and USP

The association’s unique strength lies in its grassroots structure and national reach:

• Represents producers from all major fruit-growing regions, including Grójec, Sandomierz, Lublin, and Łódź.
• Covers a diverse crop base: apples, pears, cherries, plums, berries, and soft fruits.
• Facilitates direct dialogue between smallholder growers and policymakers.
• Works in collaboration with research institutes and extension services to modernize orchards.
• Engages in geographical indication (GI) support and protected designation of origin (PDO) campaigns for regional fruit varieties.

Its key USP is sector-wide representation, making it the most authoritative voice for Poland’s fruit producers.

Financial and Export Insights

While the association itself is non-commercial, its member base contributes to significant economic activity:

• Poland is Europe’s largest apple producer, with over 4.2 million tonnes of production annually, accounting for 27% of EU apple output (Eurostat, 2023).
• Poland ranks as a top 3 global apple exporter, with over $400 million in annual export value.
• Members of the association directly or indirectly supply leading retailers and processors in Germany, the Netherlands, Egypt, India, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia.
• In 2023, nearly 900,000 tonnes of Polish apples were exported, with 65% attributed to producer organizations and cooperatives supported by the association.

The association has helped unlock market access to countries like India and Egypt, particularly after the embargo on exports to Russia post-2014.

Target Market

As a non-profit association, its “market” includes:

• Fruit growers and producer groups seeking collective representation and technical support.
• Government ministries and EU institutions engaged in Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) frameworks.
• Export agencies and marketing boards collaborating on promotion and branding.
• Retail and distribution stakeholders aligned with seasonal sourcing from Poland.

It also liaises with international agricultural unions, fostering cross-border collaboration on trade, sustainability, and innovation.

Capabilities

• Extensive member network across all voivodeships in Poland.
• Policy lobbying unit with experienced agricultural economists and legal advisors.
• Information dissemination infrastructure, including bulletins, training videos, and expert webinars.
• Collaborative programs with universities, agricultural schools, and phytosanitary authorities.
• Event organization experience, including grower congresses and national fruit fairs.

The association also manages digital platforms to update members on pest alerts, export conditions, and orchard best practices.

Certifications and Compliance

While the association itself does not certify produce, it actively supports and promotes:

• GLOBALG.A.P. adoption among its members.
• Integrated pest management (IPM) and sustainable orchard certifications.
• EU-recognized producer organization formation and compliance.
• Support for traceability systems and residue monitoring programs.

It collaborates with Polish Agricultural Advisory Centers and PIORIN (Plant Health and Seed Inspection Service) to enhance grower compliance with export standards.

Major Achievements

• Successfully advocated for government compensation schemes during frost and drought events (e.g., 2017, 2020).
• Instrumental in the development of intervention purchases and price stabilization mechanisms.
• Led promotional campaigns in key markets under the “Polish Apples” and “Taste Europe” brands.
• Supported the removal of trade barriers and sanitary approvals in markets like India, Vietnam, and Egypt.
• Played a crucial role in organizing the National Fruit Growers Congress, attended by thousands annually.
• Contributed to policy design for the EU’s fruit school program, distributing Polish apples to over 2 million school children.

Customer Testimonials

Although customer testimonials are not formally collected, feedback from growers regularly published in agricultural media highlights:

• “Without the association, small growers would not have access to direct EU support.”
• “They helped us navigate export rules during the Russia ban and find new markets.”
• “Thanks to their trainings, we were able to convert to GLOBALG.A.P. and expand sales.”

The association’s trusted position has earned it recognition among growers and policymakers as the backbone of Poland’s fruit sector development.