What will be the future of strawberry growing in Poland? These changes are inevitable

The future of strawberry growing in Poland is likely to be linked to the increasing use of tunnel technology and gutter systems. Traditional ground cultivation is losing popularity due to unstable weather conditions, increasing numbers of diseases and pests and problems with labour availability. These factors discourage growers from continuing to grow crops in the ground.

Fewer and fewer hectares of strawberries

Just five years ago, the area under strawberry cultivation in Poland was close to 50,000 hectares. Figures for 2024 show that it has decreased to 27,000 hectares. Despite this significant decrease in the cultivated area, the production level, in terms of tonnes of strawberries harvested, has remained almost the same. Recent years have increasingly discouraged growers from growing the traditional, in-ground strawberry crop. Why? The unstable weather is to blame, but so are the problems that arise from this type of cultivation. Above all, growers are struggling with an increasing number of diseases and pests that are more difficult to control. Effective preparations that have helped growers to reduce these problems are disappearing. Another challenge is becoming that of ensuring adequate numbers of pickers. Growing strawberries in the field, traditionally in the ground or even in raised beds, is very hard work for pickers. It is becoming increasingly difficult to ensure that there are enough of them at harvest time, even though you can earn quite well from this work. Read more: jagodnik.pl