Poland looks to Africa for apple exports

''In particular, we see great potential in North Africa: Algeria, Egypt and Morocco, as well as in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait,'' said Mirosław Maliszewski, chairman of the Association of Polish Fruit-Growers, in an interview with the Rzeczpospolita daily.

Exports to Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are already on the up, although in recent months, Polish apple exports have remained predominantly to EU countries, including increases to Lithuania and Latvia. New exports to Croatia and Serbia, which did not purchase Polish apples in 2013, have begun.

Meanwhile, apple exports to India were launched in February.

Prior to the embargo, Poland had been the biggest exporter of apples to Russia. However, Poland's overall apple exports fell by 23 percent between 1 August and 31 December 2014. Other Polish fruit and vegetable exports have also suffered.

The drop in apple sales would have been worse had Belarus and Kazakhstan, both part of the Moscow-led Customs Union, not increased their imports of Polish apples.

Exports to Belarus rose to 58,300 tonnes of apples between 1 August and 31 December, compared with 32,100 over the same period in 2013. Kazakhstan bought from Poland 17,000 tonnes, up on 7000 tonnes. (nh)