Polish cabbage imports reach 24,260 tonnes and 84.18 million zlotys in first half of 2026
Poland imported 24,260 tonnes of white and red cabbage worth 84.18 million zlotys in the first half of 2026. North Macedonia supplied nearly half of the volume, while a seasonal surge in April accounted for much of the six-month total.
Six-month import value approaches the 2025 total
Poland imported 24,260 tonnes of white and red cabbage worth 84.18 million zlotys in the first half of 2026, according to Statistics Poland data cited by warzywa.pl and reported by WP Finanse. The six-month value was already close to the 84.65 million zlotys recorded for all of 2025, when imports reached 27,270 tonnes. Poland therefore needed only about 3,000 additional tonnes to match the previous year’s full-year volume.
The comparison does not necessarily mean that imports for all of 2026 will exceed the 2025 result. Cabbage trade is highly seasonal, and the largest deliveries typically arrive in spring. The monthly figures show that the first-half total was concentrated in a relatively short procurement window rather than spread evenly across the six months.
North Macedonia supplies nearly half of the volume
North Macedonia remained Poland’s largest foreign cabbage supplier between January and June, shipping 12,040 tonnes worth 40.48 million zlotys. That represented nearly half of Poland’s total import volume for the period. Germany ranked second with 3,920 tonnes valued at 12.72 million zlotys, while Albania supplied 3,720 tonnes worth 16.20 million zlotys.
The higher value of Albanian deliveries despite their lower volume than German shipments points to a difference in average declared import values, product mix or delivery timing. North Macedonia, Germany and Albania together accounted for about 81% of Polish cabbage imports. Italy supplied another 2,080 tonnes for 5.87 million zlotys, and Spain delivered 1,490 tonnes for 5.84 million zlotys. Other origins included Portugal, the Netherlands, Serbia and France, although individual figures for those suppliers were not given.
April dominates the seasonal buying cycle
Monthly data underline the importance of spring supply. Imports rose from 1,270 tonnes in January to 2,860 tonnes in February and 6,300 tonnes in March. They then jumped to 11,720 tonnes in April, equivalent to almost half of the entire first-half volume. Deliveries dropped sharply afterward, falling to 1,330 tonnes in May and about 770 tonnes in June.
The average statistical value of imported cabbage was approximately 3.47 zlotys per kilogram in the first half of 2026, compared with about 3.10 zlotys per kilogram in 2025 and 2.90 zlotys per kilogram in 2024. This measure is not the final selling price in Poland: it excludes margins added by subsequent participants in the distribution chain. The full-year average may also change as second-half shipments are recorded. For Polish growers, wholesalers and processors, the figures show that competitive pressure from imported cabbage was strongest during the spring supply window, with North Macedonia holding a particularly important position in that trade.
