POLAND

Executive Summary

This report is divided into four parts - oil crops, fibre crops, carbohydrate crops and crops for special uses.

I. Oil Crops

1. Oilseed rape
The main oil crop grown in Poland is oilseed rape (Brassica napus L). The potential cultivation area of oilseed rape in Poland is approximately 2 million hectares. In 2001, the acreage of oilseed rape in Poland was 443,200 ha; in 2002 it was 439,040 ha and in 2003 about 426,000 ha (decreasing tendency). The cultivation of oilseed rape is carried out on about 30,000 of the 2 million farms in Poland. The average yields of oilseed rape seed in 2000 were 2.19 t/ha; in 2001 it was 2.40 t/ha; 2.17 t/ha in 2002 and about 1.86 t/ha in 2003. The total harvested amount of oilseed rape seed in 2000-2003 were 958,100 tonnes; 1,063,600 tonnes, 952,700 tonnes and about 793,000 tonnes, respectively (Annex 2, Table 10).

Since 1990 farmers have been growing only so called twice improved ("00") cultivars containing low amounts of eruic acid and glucosinolans. This makes the oil and the cake the fully usable food and fodder products. The quality requirements for twice improved cultivars of oilseed rape meet the EU standards and are even stricter regarding the content of glucosinolans, which reflects a high quality of Polish oilseed rape cake.

The non-food applications of oilseed rape currently are marginal and include production of biofuel (more in I.1.i Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L). Some amounts of oilseed rape are mixed with linseed oil in production of alkyd resins.

2. Oil flax
Oil flax (Linum ussitatissimum var. oleifera L.) is a marginal crop in Poland. The total area of (oil flax) linseed in Poland in 2002 was 622 ha and 740 ha in 2003 [CSO]. The INF conducts research on the application of linseed in food and pharmacy. The results of this research are implemented in practice: the INF processes ca 600 tonnes of linseed per year into the following products: 360 tonnes of cold pressed oil of which 50 tonnes are applied as pharmaceuticals (treatment of alimentary canal disorders), 36 tonnes for food applications and the rest as an additive for fodder. Additionally the linseed oil is used in production of paints and varnishes (a whole oil used for this purpose is imported)

II. Fibre Crops
Among fibre crops grown in industrial scale in Poland are two species: fibre flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) and hemp (Cannabis sativa L.). Once grown at a large scale in Poland today these raw materials face a strong competition from cheap cotton and man-made fibres and hence they lost their importance. Recently this situation has somewhat improved, especially for flax production. Hemp still remains a marginal crop in Poland used mainly for technical applications. Flax and hemp are mainly used in Poland in products applied in textile, construction and automotive industry.

Flax products:
· short fibre (tow and noils)
· long fibre
· flax sliver
· carded 100% and blended yarns
· combed dry- and wet-spun 100% linen yarns
· woven and knitted fabrics
· non-woven

Hemp products:
· blended cotton/hemp yarns from 50 to 120 tex, blended yarns with lycra, technical yarns (twine) and ropes
· woven and knitted clothing fabrics
· composite materials
· technical textiles
· non woven

The research conducted at the INF cover also application of essential oils contained in large amounts in hemp. The essential oils can be used in cosmetic industry (soap, lotion, cream, shampoo and perfume production) and in aromatherapy, also in wood and bibliographical resources protection.

III. Carbohydrate Crops
Among Polish crops, the major source of carbohydrates are potato, cereals and sugar beet. Those crops are utilised in food industry as well as for non-food purposes.

1. Potato
The potato cultivation area in 2001 was 1.19 million hectares, in 2002 803,000 ha, while in 2003 it decreased to 765,000 ha. The total production of potatoes (harvest) in 2001 was 19,379 million tonnes, 15,524 million tonnes in 2002 and in 2003 decreased to 13,493 million tonnes. 99% of Polish starch is obtained from potato. The production of starch and spirit in 2001/02 was 130,000 and 150,000 tonnes, respectively. The total sales of potatoes for industrial use (thousand t) was in 1999/00: 908; in 2000/01: 1,635; in 2001/02: 1,375 and in 2002/03: 1,830 tonnes [CSO].

The development of industrial uses of potato starch is supported by a special law of 11 January 2001 on the regulation of potato starch market (Journal of Laws of 2001 No. 11, item 83), which was enforced on March 1, 2001. This act introduced the system of production limits; the system of subsidies to starch potato and potato starch production; subsidies to companies which utilise starch for non-food purposes, as well as subsidies to starch export. The law regulations of starch market in Poland are based on the legislation of European Union.

There are two major areas of application of potato starch: ethyl alcohol production and the production of auxiliary substances useful in the following industries: pulp and paper, cardboard production, pharmaceutical, textile, foundry, drilling industry, glue production, starch used for packaging, lubricants, water absorbent, laundry starch applied in housekeeping to stiffen (starch) linen bedclothes, curtains etc.

2. Cereals
The industrial utilisation of cereals in 2000 was 948,000 tonnes, and in the season 2002/2003 increased to 1,161,000 tonnes. The structure of industrial utilisation of cereals is shown in the table below.

Table 1. The industrial utilisation of cereals in the season 2002/2003 (Source: Cereals Market, 2003)

3. Sugar beet
The production of sugar beet in the season 2001/02 was carried out on 318,000 hectares, while in 2002 on 303,000 ha [CSO]. The non-food applications utilised about 45,000 tonnes of sugar, which cover the needs of pharmaceutical and chemical industries and sugar applied for fodder production.

IV. Crops for specialist uses

Medicinal plants are applied in Poland for the production of herbal medicinal products, herbal teas, condiments and cosmetics, also in aromatherapy and as active substances in natural plant protection products.