Potatoes - Farm Frites, Poland
Introduction
More than sixty percent (18.5 million hectares) of Poland's total area is farmland. The country is currently the largest producer of potatoes and rye in Europe and one of the world's largest producers of sugar beet. Agriculture employs almost one third of the total Polish work force but contributes less than 4% to the gross domestic product (GDP). There are over three million private farms in Poland, of which one third are <1 hectare and the remainder are on average 8.44 hectares. Agricultural productivity is generally below EU average figures. Over 20% of all farming households in Poland produce only for their own consumption.
In 1993 a joint venture between two Dutch companies, Farm Frites and Aviko, formed the company Farm Frites Poland. Owing to the lack of good quality potatoes available locally for processing the company decided to grow their own potatoes and four former state farms, comprising a total of 3900 hectares, were rented on a 15 year tenancy agreement from the Polish Government’s Land Agency. Farm Frites also sources potatoes from local Polish farmers under contract.
“We aim to lead the way in how we manage and run the farm, setting an example for farmers locally and to the industry as a whole. We like new challenges and are looking forward to a positive future.
Jaroslaw Wankowicz; General Farm Manager, Farm Frites Poland
The farm is situated in the northern region of Poland, in an excellent potato-growing area, owing to the weather conditions and soil type.
A potato processing plant was constructed near the town of Lębork in 1994 and it now processes around 135,000 tonnes of potatoes annually into fries and potato products.
The farm plants 900 hectares of potatoes annually, with other crops including winter wheat, winter oilseed rape, maize, radish, and grass also being grown.
A wide range of modern farm machinery and equipment is operated, with up-to-date storage facilities for around 50,000 tonnes of potatoes.
“Farm Frites is a progressive and forward-looking company with a clear focus on its environmental and ethical practices. It has invested in cutting-edge technology to ensure it maintains strict control of both its inputs and outputs. Farm Frites welcome opportunities to improve their standards while supporting the development of new and higher standards for Polish agriculture in a financially competitive marketplace”.
Karl Williams: Flagship Farms Programme Manager FAI