Articles
LEVEL AND TRENDS OF THE HOME PRODUCTION OF APPLES IN POLAND AND THEIR PURCHASE PRICES
The most characteristic attribute of apple production is not only its lately achieved high level, but also very high dynamics of its growth continuing for some length of time.
It should be underlined here that the average annual increments of this production were, during the serial periods of development, growing in the point of volume and were almost constant, or fluctuating around the determined volume being constatnt, in percentage terms.
It means that the previous growth of home production of apples in Poland was, generally speaking, of exponential character.
The rate of that growth over the last 32 years (1955–1986) amounted to 6.5% annually on the average and was more than 3 times as large as the rate of growth of the whole agricultural production.
The level and trends of apple production, were, among other factors, influenced also by the purchase prices for apples.
And it is not the absolute level of the prices that is of basic importance, but their ratios to the prices of other tree fruits competing with apples.
The influence of the discussed price ratios upon the development of apple production was shown by their impact on decisions taken by the producers of apples concerning the number of annual plantings of apple trees.
The high level and growing trends of ratios of apple purchase prices to the prices for other tree fruits stimulated the producers to increase, and the opposite situation in price ratios, to decrease the number of apple tree plantings each year.
It must be underlined here that the decision aimed at decrease of the number of plantings was not taken as soon as price ratios rose, but later, after a certain, usually 3-years lapse.