![Will Trump’s trade war hit Polish exports? Farmers and food producers in uncertainty [World News]](https://foodcom.pl/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Foodcom_World_News_Plant-Based-1520x760.jpg "Will Trump’s trade war hit Polish exports? Farmers and food producers in uncertainty [World News]")
- New US tariffs on goods imported from China and other countries, and the announcement of similar measures for the EU, could destabilize global trade.
- Retaliatory measures by the EU could lead to increased food production costs in Europe and price increases.
- An increase in competition and a price war on the EU market are also possible.
Polish food exports under threat?
Donald Trump’s decisions regarding tariffs on imported goods, especially those from the European Union and China, may have significant consequences for the Polish agri-food sector. Although the USA is not a major export market for Poland, our country annually exports food products worth approximately EUR 786 million to the USA, such as meat and meat products, fish, confectionery and chocolate products, and processed fruit and vegetables. The announced introduction of tariffs on EU products may limit the competitiveness of Polish companies in the US market, increasing import costs and leading to a decrease in demand for our domestic goods.
If trade tensions lead to a further tightening of tariff policy, retaliatory actions by the European Union are furthermore possible, which could affect goods originating from the USA. Increased costs of importing fertilisers, plant protection products or raw materials for feed production could lead to higher operating costs for Polish agricultural producers and breeders and thus increase the prices of food products.
Uncertain future of the EU food market
Poland may also feel the effects of the trade war indirectly through disruptions in global supply chains. An increase in tariffs on Chinese agricultural products and food additives could push up the prices of raw materials used by Polish producers and thus lead to higher production costs and higher product prices for consumers. If EU exporters lose the ability to trade on the US market, they may look for new customers in Europe, which will also increase competition on the internal EU market, potentially leading to a price war and negatively impacting Polish producers’ margins.
Experts warn that if trade tensions are not eased, Polish farmers and entrepreneurs could face uncertainty over the future of exports and price stability of key agricultural products. However, Andrzej Gantner, director general of the Polish Federation of Food Producers, believes that the negative consequences will only be felt further into the trade war.
