Exports of Food Industry Products from Poland, 1918–1939

Abstract

This article analyzes the central role of exports in the development of the Polish food industry between 1918 and 1939. The postwar context—marked by widespread poverty, weak domestic consumption, and outdated agricultural structures—forced the Polish economy to seek opportunities in foreign markets. The food industry, particularly in sectors such as sugar, meat, dairy, flour, potatoes, alcohol, and malt, developed largely in response to export demand.
The aim of this study is to examine the evolution of the main branches of Poland’s food industry in relation to foreign markets, internal economic policies, international crises, and tariff barriers. The author draws on a wide range of sources, including state archives, statistical reports, trade data, specialized publications, and government documents.
Among the key findings, the article shows that certain sectors—such as the meat and butter industries—were created or significantly modernized thanks to foreign demand. Others, such as the sugar industry, were forced into dumping practices, often to the detriment of the domestic market. The study also highlights the decisive role of export subsidies, international agreements (such as the 1931 Brussels Sugar Convention), and cooperative organization, particularly in the dairy and meat sectors.
In conclusion, Eckert demonstrates that despite economic and geopolitical challenges, the export of food products was a major structuring factor in the industrial development of interwar Poland.