Poland begins to realize its export manifest destiny

The most rapid increase has been to countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Between January to November 2006, exports to Ukraine rose by 55% in comparison to 2005. This was in part thanks to the fact GDP growth hit 6% in Ukraine last year. Thanks to the dynamic development of the whole region, Poland exported goods worth EUR 14.8 billion in the first eleven months of 2006. According to Marcin Kaliszewski, the regional market development director of juice company Agros Nova it is easier to conquer markets in Central and Eastern Europe as compared to "old" EU ones because they are less saturated. His company started to export carrot juice to Bulgaria and Lithuania three years ago and last year the exports of Agros Nova increased by 40%. The rising sales of Polish products abroad is also due to the fact that Polish companies are gaining confidence and starting to invest and open distribution networks across the region. (Rzeczpospolita, February 3-4, p. A1, B1) M.M.