Poland is EU's largest carp producer - agriculture support centre

Poland has been for years the EU's largest carp producer with its domestic production accounting for 30 percent of the total EU output, according to the National Support Centre for Agriculture (KOWR).

Poland is followed by the Czech Republic and Hungary.

According to KOWR, there are over 850 aquaculture farms in Poland with a total pond area of around 70,000 hectares.

Over recent years, domestic carp production stood between 17,000 and 21,000 tonnes a year, PAP was told by KOWR's deputy general director Marcin Wronski.

Poland's carp exports are relatively small. In 2021, they totalled only 461 tonnes, up by 30 percent year on year. Last year, Sweden topped the list of Polish carp importers (46 percent) and Great Britain came next (38 percent of the total).

Referring to high carp prices this year, Wronski said their increase had been caused by growing production, storage and distribution costs.

According to KOWR, 90 percent of carp production is sold in Poland over the two weeks leading up to Christmas.

For most Poles, Christmas Eve dinner would be incomplete without carp which is the centrepiece of a 12-dish feast that is traditionally meat-free.