POLISH AGRI-FOOD FOREIGN TRADE AND ITS COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE IN 2008–2013

Abstract

The purpose of the article was to show the directions, values, structure and assessment of comparative advantage of Polish foreign trade in agri-food products. Adopted time range covered the years 2008–2013. The analysis was based on the data from the statistical publications of the Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics and the Central Statistical Offi ce. The results indicate a constant increase in the value of foreign trade in agri-food products, as well as a stable positive balance of foreign trade of these products. In the commodity structure the largest share in the period 2008–2013 were plant products (an average of 55.37% of total exports and 65.08% of total imports). Analysing the changes in the value of Lafay indicator of diff erent types of agri-food products in 2008–2013 decrease can be observed in this ratio in the case of total animal products (–4.24) and a simultaneous increase of the comparative advantage in the export of plant products in total (4,00).

Keywords

• foreign trade
• agri-food products
• comparative advantage
• Lafay indicator