Evolution of demand for sugar in Polan

Abstract

The accession of Poland to the EU resulted in significant changes in market regulations, and this had an important impact on the Polish sugar industry. The growth rate of demand was lower than that of production, and the sector became a net exporter. The structure of demand experienced significant changes as the consumption in households decreased, but demand is compensated for by the increased consumption in the food industry. The consumption of professional groups also varied strongly. The price increase due to EU accession, the influence of world market, and the supply fluctuations resulted in a high variability of sugar prices. The demand for sugar is characterised by low price flexibility.