PGI Kaszubska strawberries in Poland

Abstract

Polish farmers try to exploit opportunities offered by the EU agricultural product quality policy by registering their products in the EU quality Schemes. A group of 18 farmers from Kaszuby region registered the Kaszubska Strawberry as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) product in November 2009. In 2018, there were 27 active producers in the group (GIJHARS). Most Kaszubska strawberries are sold fresh to final consumers through the wholesale channel. Although producers are affiliated to the Strawberry Producers Association, there is no joint sale of the certified product. Producers from Kaszuby region face strong competition from the Mazovia region, which is a “strawberry basin” in Poland. However, the advantage is that the strawberry harvest in Kashubia starts later, when the peak of harvest near Warsaw is over. Strawberry farms from Mazovia are used as a reference in the sustainability assessment of Kaszubska Strawberry. Comparison of sustainability indicators calculated for this case study show that: Kaszubska Strawberry is more economically sustainable. However, this higher performance does not stem directly from the PGI certificate, but rather from better prices due to the late harvest. the carbon footprint of Kaszubska Strawberry is 8% lower per hectare, but 14% higher than the reference product per kg of product. Kaszubska Strawberries also have a higher water footprint. The main driver of the difference is the lower yield of PGI strawberries. Kaszubska Strawberry employs slightly more people than the reference per ton of strawberry, again due to lower yields per hectare. Generational renewal is, however, better in the reference chain.