Changes in the importance of agribusiness in the Polish economy after 2000

Agribusiness is losing its significance in the economies with economic development. In agriculture, lower labour productivity is usually observed compared to the entire economy. Agribusiness also undergoes internal changes. With the lengthening of supply chains and the increasing demand for highly processed food, the economic importance of agriculture within agribusiness decreases while food processing grows. This study aims to determine how the significance of agribusiness changed in the Polish economy, what direction these changes are taking, and what their dynamics are. The analysis covers 2000–2022, and data from national statistics were used. The significance of agribusiness in the economy was assessed by considering its share in gross output, gross value added, net fixed assets, employment, and foreign trade turnover. Exponential function was used to evaluate the dynamics of changes. The importance of the agribusiness sector in the Polish economy decreased. The employment share declined from 20 to 17%, and considering the primary source of livelihood, it was 11%. The share in gross output was 9%, and in GVA, only 5%. Oppositely, agribusiness had a much higher share in foreign trade, generating 14% of exports and 9% of imports to Poland. Over the analysed period, the gross output share of agribusiness in the whole economy decreased by 38% and GVA creation by 47%. The export share increased by 30% and imports by 17%. The structure of the agribusiness sector has modernized. From 2000 to 2005, agriculture accounted for about 60% of the sector’s GVA, while from 2018 to 2022, it was only 45%. Most of the agribusiness’s GVA is currently generated in industrial food processing. It can be concluded that agribusiness in the Polish economy is becoming less and less significant. It only maintains a high share in foreign trade. Further reduction in employment and increased labour productivity, primarily in agriculture, is expected.