An important aspect of the visit was also support for Polish cattle, pig and poultry farmers and soft fruit producers who took part in the promotion campaign “Tasteful Europe” delivered in Seul and Ho Chi Minh City. Another important issue was also the possibility of exporting Polish cereals to the markets of these countries.

Deputy Minister Lech Kołakowski stayed in the Republic of Korea and Vietnam on 17-25 February 2023.

Polish-Korean talks

In the Republic of Korea, the delegation of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture met with Mr. Kang Jae-Kwon, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Kim In-Joong, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

During the talks with the representatives of the Korean administration, Deputy Minister Kołakowski pointed out the need to intensify cooperation in the field of agriculture between Poland and the Republic of Korea.

“The Republic of Korea is an important partner for Poland with which we are bound by a strategic partnership. The cooperation in agricultural matters should be an equally important element of the dialogue held between our countries as the issues of defence and energy and bring tangible results.” Secretary of State Lech Kołakowski stressed.

Referring to the work now underway to eliminate barriers to trade in agricultural products, the Deputy Minister of the MARD pointed out the need to urgently complete the access procedures so as to enable poultry, pork and beef exports from Poland to Korea to start soon. Deputy Minister Lech Kołakowski asked the Korean counterparts to limit these procedures to the necessary minimum.

“Progress in the work to open the market is indispensable for the further development of the Polish-Korean economic cooperation. We would like to see the increasing presence of Polish food on the Korean market. It is not only exceptionally tasteful but first of all it is safe, since it is produced in compliance with the demanding standards in effect in the European Union,” Deputy Minister Lech Kołakowski added.

The Secretary of State also pointed out that the high standards of Polish food are confirmed by the exports of Polish commodities to almost 200 countries in the world, including such demanding markets, as the USA or Israel.

The position of the Republic of Korea

During the meetings with the Polish delegation, the Korean interlocutors confirmed their readiness to strengthen the mutual relations in the area of agriculture. They also declared that they would take action to complete the access procedures underway as soon as possible.

Meeting the Polish expectations, on 24 February 2023 the Korean authorities approved health certificate templates for pork and poultry meat exported to the Republic of Korea. It will be possible to carry out the exports after Korea approves Polish plants.

The visit of the Secretary of State at the MARD corresponds with the intensive development of bilateral relations with this country. The last visit by the leadership of the MARD to Korea took place in 2014.

Talks with the representatives of the Vietnamese administration

The main subject of the meetings with Mr. Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Vietnam, and the members of the National Assembly of Vietnam, Nguyen Thi Mai Phuong and Nguyen Van Than, was the continuation of the talks to agree the access procedures. They began in 2022 at the first session of the Polish-Vietnamese Working Group on Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture.

Since last year Poland has seen clear progress in the work to open the Vietnamese market for Polish beef and goose and duck meat. Thanking for the efficient actions taken in this scope, Deputy Minister Lech Kołakowski expressed his hope that the veterinary certificates would be agreed as soon as possible for these meat types. He also pointed out the need to efficiently make arrangements to enable exports of highbush blueberry from Poland to Vietnam.

In the opinion of the head of the Polish delegation, the expansion of the range of Polish agri-food products exported to the Vietnamese market will certainly have a positive effect on the development of trade cooperation, among others, by reducing Poland’s high negative balance of trade in agricultural products with Vietnam. In 2022, it was EUR 150 million.

“What fosters the development of our trade is the fact that the export offers of both countries do not compete with each other but are complementary to each other ”, Deputy Minister Lech Kołakowski said.

The position of Vietnam

The representatives of Vietnam confirmed an intensive dialogue in agricultural matters with Poland, including significant progress in the work to open the Vietnamese market. As Mr. Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Vietnam, pointed out, successive steps and stages of work in this scope had been implemented.

At present, work is underway to agree the provisions of the veterinary certificates on the basis of which Polish meat sector exporters will be able to sell their products to Vietnam.

The representatives of Vietnam also declared their readiness to develop expert-level relations in the area of aquaculture.

The possibility of exporting cereals from Poland

An important issue which Deputy Minister Lech Kołakowski addressed during his visits to the Republic of Korea and Vietnam was the export of Polish cereals to the markets of these countries. The Polish delegation submitted a detailed offer in this scope to the Korean and Vietnamese partners.

Support for Polish entrepreneurs

The Korean and Vietnamese markets enjoy large interest of Polish agri-food sector companies. The presence of entrepreneurs at events held as part of the promotion programme “Tasteful Europe –Tradition and Quality” met with large interest of local trade partners.

The participation of the MARD delegation in those events provided an opportunity for presenting a wide export offer of Polish agricultural products and information on the food safety supervision system in Poland, not only to the group of potential importers but also to the media community.

Polish food on the Asian markets

The Asian markets are very prospective for Poland. At present, China is the main importer of Polish food in this region. Vietnam is the second largest importer, while the Republic of Korea is the fifth largest one. The opening of the markets of these countries to more Polish products of animal origin would provide large opportunities for Polish animal breeders and processors.

The visit paid by Secretary of State Lech Kołakowski to the Republic of Korea and Vietnam was a manifestation of the intensified actions of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture on the Asian markets.

In 2023, the National Support Centre for Agriculture plans, among others, to set up Polish national stands at fairs in Japan, the Republic of Korea, Vietnam, Singapore and Hong Kong.