Polish firms to make major investments

The economic recession and the Russian ban earlier this summer on European vegetable imports have undoubtedly had a negative impact on Poland’s fresh produce exporters, but they have not prevented major players announcing significant new investments.

Krakow-based Consorfrut, which as well as being a leading importer has recently moved into Polish exports, has made a “substantial” investment in a new, 8,000m² packhouse and office facility on the margins of the city.

Speaking to Eurofruit Magazine, Consorfrut Polska’s purchasing director, Piotr Maik, said that the new facility, which will feature eight banana ripening rooms and a further seven cold storage chambers, was being built to support the company’s expansion plans.

The site, which is being 40 per cent funded by the European Union, will handle citrus, grapes, melons and other products, while it will also store Polish goods, including tomatoes, apples and stonefruit, for export across Europe.

“We have developed rapidly over the last seven years, but this new facility will give us a push to increase our levels of business still further,” he said.

Development plans

Similarly, apple cooperative Sun Sad, which is based in the region of Grójec close to Warsaw, is moving into the final stages of the construction of a new, 11,000m² packhouse to support ambitious growth plans.

The company’s handling director, Marcin Stasiak, revealed that the site, due to open this autumn at a cost of 100m zlotys (€25m) was being 50 per cent funded by the EU, with a further 25 per cent from the Polish government adding to Sun Sad’s own funds.

Sun Sad hope the 4,000 tonne capacity facility will provide a central hub for the Producer Organisation that it is aiming to form with 27 growers and which has already received primary recognition from the EU.

In a separate development, Polish blueberry producer Plantacja Nad Tanwia told Eurofruit Magazine that its five year plan for a five-grower strong Producer Organisation had also been approved by the European authorities.

Dominika Kozarzewska from the company said that the group, named Polskie Jagody, would begin constructing a new, central packhouse in September, with the project due to be completed by June 2012.