Poland’s comparative advantages in agri-food trade in comparison with selected central and Eastern European countries
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agri-food trade, comparative advantages, competitiveness, Poland, Central and Eastern Europe
Abstract
The aim of this article is to assess the level and dynamics of Poland’s comparative advantages in agri-food trade between 2004 and 2023, compared with countries such as Hungary, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine. The analysis is based on data from Eurostat and the State Statistics Service of Ukraine. The study employs several measures and indices, including TC, XRCA, MRCA, and RTA. The results indicate that Poland has maintained a stable comparative advantage in agri-food trade, as evidenced by positive and increasing values of XRCA (1.17–1.68) and RTA (0.44–0.62). This advantage is structural in nature, resulting from a high level of food processing, integration with the EU market, and broad export diversification. Hungary demonstrates a moderate comparative advantage, while Romania and the Czech Republic remain net importers with limited production potential. Ukraine, in turn, shows the strongest but predominantly raw-material-based export advantages. Integration with the European Union, production specialization, and support under the Common Agricultural Policy have been crucial to the growth of Poland’s competitiveness. Conversely, economic and political factors such as the 2008 subprime crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine have temporarily weakened trade dynamics, leading to a short-term decline in the strength of Poland’s competitive advantages.
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