Poland's fruit market squeezed by cheap cherry imports and rising strawberry prices

Polish retailers are confronting a surge of imported cherries that are flooding the market at low prices. Suppliers report that most shipments come from Turkey, Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania, with Turkish harvests creating record‑low costs. Large returns of imported cherries have also appeared, some being sold as domestic fruit, while supermarkets such as Lidl and Biedronka have launched short‑term promotions to keep prices attractive, offering cherries for as little as 14.99 zł per kilogram.

At the same time, Polish strawberry prices have climbed to between 8 zł and 15 zł per kilogram after heavy rains caused water‑logged, lower‑quality berries. Traders note that the fruit is softer and spoils more quickly, limiting supply and driving up costs. Both developments put pressure on local growers and threaten the competitiveness of Poland’s domestic fruit sector.

The combined effect of abundant cheap imports and weather‑related price spikes is forcing Polish producers to compete on quality and freshness while retailers adjust promotions to manage consumer demand.