Polish confectionery exports to Russia blossoms

Despite the ban on food imports to Russia, Polish confectionery producers managed to boost their exports to the East. The bakery industry reported an increase of 70 percent year-on-year, while producers of chocolate, pralines and caramels enjoyed export growth at a level of a few percent, according to Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza. The Ukrainian conflict and the declining value of the Russian currency buoyed the exports. The hike in the confectionery sector could have been even bigger, however, Polish producers admit that they do not want to be overly dependent on the Russian market. "Ukrainian producers who had dominated the Russian market were eliminated and made room for Polish manufacturers," Marek Przeździak, CEO of Polbisco, was quoted by the daily. In order to evade the embargo, Polish goods are transported through Belarus, Turkey or Serbia.