Dubai: Poland, one of the world’s biggest exporters of apples, has tapped the UAE as a new, strategic market for its most popular agricultural export.
“The presence of Polish apples in a highly visible market such as the UAE is a great opportunity for European fruit growers and local distributors,” Jolanta Kazimierska, head of the Polish Fruit Union, told Gulf News on Wednesday.
Ever since Russia imposed a ban on agricultural products from European Union countries this year, Poland has been looking to Asia and the Middle East to fill a gap in the global market. The country exports a total of around 3.7 million tons of apples, with the EU and North Africa as its main markets.
“We are trying to change our model to produce healthier, natural and more sustainable apples and sell these to a wider market,” Kazimierska said. "The UAE is new market for us. We are just starting to explore it,” she said.
The UAE is an important communication platform for Polish produce, Kazimierska said. “It is a well-located market and very important in the promotion of Polish fruit in the Asian, Middle East and West African countries,” she said. In Asia, Poland is looking to channel the Chinese market.
The leader of the Polish Fruit Union is confident that Polish apples will thrive in the UAE market due to their taste and quality. “Europe has a rich history of growing apples with centuries-old horticulture traditions. Much of Europe has the perfect climate for growing apples. European apples grow away from big cities, in rich soils and clean air, which give them a distinct fruity, aromatic flavor. They are famous all over the world for their unique rase and aroma values. Also, European apples are subject to strict regulations and standards of production, including storage and transport,” Kazimierska explained.
Apart from apples, Poland also wants to start exporting other agricultural products to the UAE. “There are good prospects for Polish vegetables and possibly berries. We would like to create in the UAE a fashion for European products,” she said.
