Poland: growing interest in vineyards

Warsaw - Due to its unfavourable climate, Poland isn’t the best place in Europe to grow grapes. But since wine is produced even in Canada, more and more Polish growers are interested in grape production, mostly for wine. According to the Polish Ministry of Agriculture, the total acreage of vineyards in Poland doesn’t exceed 150 ha, but is continuously growing.

Until 2004 grape production wasn’t taken seriously. However, in 2005 the EU decided to include Poland in the list of European wine countries, which actually opens the door for domestic wine production. Since then Polish growers started to think about growing grapes. Some of the new vineyards have already a dozen or so hectares, but most are much smaller.

Most of the plantations are located in the western and southern part of the country. According to EU law, Poland has the right to grow 39 varieties of grapes used for white wine production, 32 – for red wine and 5 for rose. The maximum limit of production amounts to 3 million bottles per year until 2010. Poland has no chance to become an important wine producer, but vineyards can be a good alternative for some farmers.

About 10 thousand bottles of wine can be produced from one hectare of vineyard. If somebody sells it for 4-5 € per bottle only, it is still 30 time more profitable than potato production. But initial costs are also higher – 12-25 thousand €/ha on average and the first profits can be expected in 4-6 years. Polish wine probably won’t be attractive abroad but can be appreciated as domestic speciality in Polish restaurants, hotels and agrotouristic farms. In case of table grapes, domestic production isn’t profitable in Poland, since fruits have to be grown under covers and will always be more expensive than grapes imported from southern countries. But some producers still try to grow table grapes in Poland, there is even the first Polish variety registered in 2004 and called ‘Danmarpa Polonia’.

Source:freshplaza.com,