Egypt has secured its position as the foremost supplier of sweet potatoes to Poland in 2023, with a notable increase in exports. In the previous year, Egyptian exports of sweet potatoes to Poland amounted to 2.8 thousand tons, marking a rise of one-third compared to 2022. Furthermore, the first half of this year witnessed a record import volume of 940 tons from Egypt to Poland.
Poland ranks as the fifteenth largest importer of sweet potatoes globally, a significant detail considering the re-export practices of many leading importing countries. Over the last five years, Poland has seen its sweet potato imports more than double, a growth rate on par with the USA, which re-exports a substantial portion of its imports. "Poland is already the fifteenth largest importer of sweet potatoes globally. Moreover, considering that many top-listed countries import this product for re-export, Poland's position in the global ranking of sweet potato consumers is even more significant. Over the past five years, Poland has more than doubled its imports of this product, a growth rate matched only by the USA, which uses a significant portion of imports for re-export," states Yevhen Kuzin, Fruit & Vegetable Market Analyst at EastFruit.
From 2019 to 2023, Egyptian sweet potato exports to Poland have increased nearly sixfold, outpacing growth from other countries like Spain and the USA. Despite this, Germany and the Netherlands continue to supply the Polish market with sweet potatoes previously imported from Spain, the USA, and Egypt. The appeal of Eastern Europe as a market for sweet potato exports has grown, with countries like Ukraine, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia significantly increasing their imports.
Looking ahead, two trends are expected to shape the Eastern European sweet potato market: a continued rise in imports driven by untapped consumption potential, and an increasing share of direct supplies from countries like Egypt and Morocco. "In the coming years, two trends will dominate the sweet potato market in Eastern Europe. Firstly, imports will continue to grow, as the consumption potential of this superfood in the region has not yet reached its peak. Secondly, the share of direct supplies from new supplier countries, such as Egypt and, to a lesser extent, Morocco, will increase," concludes Kuzin.
Source: EastFruit