A seized opportunity – the success of Polish apples in Colombia

Colombia, being an equatorial country, does not have thermal conditions for growing apples, which need a more temperate climate. Therefore, it relies on imports, mainly from Chile. However, Chilean fruit growers do not have the technology that would allow them to store fruit for more than 8 months, hence the demand for apples for 3-4 months of the year (from October to January) is satisfied by imports from Europe, now also from Poland - explains Anna Dobrzycka, manager of PAIH’s Foreign Trade Office in Bogota.

The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Bogotá and the State Inspectorate of Plant Health and Seeds were the first to notice the opportunity to enter the Colombian market. Thanks to their efforts, since 2019 there have been no formal barriers for the export of Polish apples to Colombia. Despite the lack of restrictions, Polish fruit growers made little use of this possibility. The breakthrough did not come until three years later.

In October 2022, a large fruit distributor operating in Colombia’s largest cities came to PAIH’s Foreign Trade Office in Bogotá. The reaction of the Agency's employees was immediate, and soon the Colombian entrepreneur already had meetings arranged with the main fruit groups operating in the Grójec region of Poland. His visit ended with the signing of three export contracts, and in December of the same year the mission was repeated.

The reputation of the quality of Polish apples quickly spread throughout Latin America. The Agency's office, this time in Santiago, was approached by the President of a large Chilean fruit group. He heard about Polish fruit from a Colombian importer who had previously participated in economic missions organized by PAIH. In this way, Chilean entrepreneurs also visited Poland and saw sorting plants, warehouses and orchards for themselves.

Both the Chileans and Colombians were impressed by the innovation and automation of sorting, storage and packaging processes. The interest of importers from Latin America was so great that we went from eight large containers of apples per year in 2021 to as many as several hundred in 2023, and the trend is still growing. The popularity of Polish fruit is not waning, the interest is enormous - adds Tomasz Bajon, an expert from PAIH’s Export Department.

This story about Polish apples is an example of the opportunity offered to exporters by Latin America. An opportunity that Polish entrepreneurs often overlook and choose to export to Colombia through intermediaries, even though exporting directly is much more beneficial. An opportunity for personal contact with Colombian partners will be made possible by the Alimentec food fair. During the event, Polish entrepreneurs will be able to present their products on the Polish National stand organized by PAIH.

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About the Polish Investment and Trade Agency

The Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) is an advisory institution that is part of the Polish Development Fund (PFR) Group. It is the first point of contact for exporters and investors. It operates both in Poland and through a network of its offices around the world. It strengthens the recognition of Polish brands on international markets, promotes domestic products and services as well as technological solutions made in Poland. The agency helps entrepreneurs choose their optimal path of expansion abroad. It also supports the inflow of foreign direct investments to Poland and the implementation of Polish investments in the country. PAIH cooperates with the public sector and regional partners, offering, among other things, training, audit and promotion of investment properties, cooperation in the organization of business missions and communication support in the implementation of joint projects.