Netherlands leads Poland’s carrot suppliers as imports reach 20,030 tonnes

Imports exceed 20,000 tonnes through May

Poland imported 20,030 tonnes of fresh or chilled carrots and turnips between January and the end of May 2026, according to data from Statistics Poland, or GUS, reported by WP Finanse and originally cited by the industry portal warzywa.pl. The figures cover products classified under CN 070610 and show that substantial volumes continued to enter the Polish market during the first five months of the year.

Imports reached 14,180 tonnes after the first four months. A further 5,850 tonnes arrived in May, making it the strongest month of 2026 up to that point. May therefore accounted for about 29% of the cumulative January-May volume. The acceleration coincided with the growing availability of the new carrot crop in Southern Europe.

The five-month total was more than one-quarter of Poland’s full-year imports in 2025, when the country received 69,650 tonnes. The comparison does not establish the likely result for all of 2026 because carrot shipments vary with the harvesting calendar and the availability of domestic supply. It nevertheless provides processors, wholesalers and growers with an indication of the volume of foreign produce already competing in Poland before the middle of the year.

Netherlands retains a commanding share

The Netherlands remained Poland’s largest supplier over the January-May period, delivering 9,360 tonnes. That represented approximately 46.7% of total imports. Italy ranked second with 5,310 tonnes, while Germany supplied 3,850 tonnes. Together, those three countries accounted for the overwhelming majority of the recorded volume and formed the principal supply base for the Polish market.

Shipments from other origins were considerably smaller. Greece supplied 668 tonnes, Belgium delivered 223 tonnes and Ukraine accounted for 194 tonnes. These volumes show that Poland’s import structure was highly concentrated, although smaller suppliers continued to participate and could become more relevant at particular points in the seasonal cycle.

Italy takes the lead in May

The supplier ranking changed in May. Italy became the leading source for the month with 2,240 tonnes, ahead of the Netherlands at 1,580 tonnes and Germany at 1,080 tonnes. Greece also increased its presence substantially, supplying 583 tonnes in May. Ukraine shipped 151 tonnes and Belgium delivered 27 tonnes during the same month.

WP Finanse linked the increasing role of Southern European origins to the progress of the growing season and the availability of the current year’s crop. Italian and Greek producers were already offering newly harvested carrots, including carrots with their tops removed, supporting larger deliveries to Poland. For Polish buyers, the May figures indicate a shift from the Netherlands-led cumulative supply pattern toward origins able to place fresh seasonal output on the market. For domestic producers and traders, the timing and scale of these arrivals are important because imported new-crop carrots can affect competition during the transition between stored produce and the local harvest. The data identify volume and origin, but provide no information about prices, contract terms or Poland’s domestic production in the period.