Exports of grain crops through the four main Polish seaports in MY 2022-2023 (July 2022-June 2023) exceeded 6.6 million tons, 70% more than in the previous MY, when almost 3.9 million tons were exported, said Marcin Wroński, deputy head of Poland’s National Center for Support of Agriculture (KOWR).
“The very large increase in grain exports by sea – by 70% – in the 2022/2023 season was made possible by the fact that in order to solve the problem of grain surplus on the domestic market, the Polish government took measures aimed at improving logistics and transportation capacities,” Marcin Wroński was quoted as saying by Polish publication farmer.pl.
Financial incentives for farmers in the form of grain subsidies also played a major role, which had an impact on export volumes through the Baltic Sea berths, which have been growing month by month, explained the deputy head of KOWR.
According to him, in the 2022/2023 season, wheat was mainly exported through the national seaports – more than 4.4 million tons compared to almost 2.1 million tons a year earlier, as well as corn – more than 2 million tons compared to about 1.3 million tons in the previous season. 74,000 tons of triticale, 68,000 tons of rye, 64,000 tons of barley and 16,000 tons of oats were also shipped through Baltic ports.
Wroński noted that grain was exported mainly through the seaport in Gdynia – 52%, or 3.5 million tons. Another 31% of the volume, or 2 million tons was shipped through the port of Gdansk. Exports through the seaport of Szczecin-Swinoujście amounted to 17% – about 1.1 million tons of grain.
“May and June (2023 – IF-U) were record months for grain exports by sea: in May we exported 882 thousand tons of grain through ports in Gdynia, Gdansk, Swinoujście and Szczecin, and in June this figure reached 937 thousand tons. We have never had such a result as in June,” emphasized the deputy head of KOWR.
He added that grain exports were also carried out through smaller ports, such as Kolobrzeg, so the total grain exports through the ports in June approached 1 million tons.
According to KOWR’s calculations, in the 2022/2023 season grain exports through sea, road and rail channels totaled more than 11 million tons, which was a record result in the history of Polish grain trade.
