That dollar amount results from a 51.5% advance compared to 2019 when Polish exports totaled $251.9 billion.
Year over year, the value of Poland’s exports rose 11.3% starting from $342.8 billion in 2022.
The top 5 trading partners buying the highest dollar worth of products exported from Poland are Germany, Czech Republic, France, United Kingdom and Italy. Combined, that quintet of leading importers accounted for almost half (49.9%) of Polish exports by value.
Applying a continental lens, 87.8% of Poland’s exports by value was delivered to fellow European countries while 5.7% was sold to importers in Asia. Poland shipped another 4.3% worth of goods to North America.
Poland has been a member of the European Union since May 1, 2004. Fellow EU members purchased 86% of all products sold by Poland.
Tinier percentages went to buyers in Africa (1.3%), Latin America (0.5%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.3%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Poland’s Top Trading Partners
Below is a list showcasing 25 of Poland’s top trading partners in terms of exports sales. These are countries that imported the most Polish shipments by dollar value during 2023. Also shown is each import country’s percentage of total Polish exports.
- Germany: US$106.6 billion (27.9% of Poland’s total exports)
- Czech Republic: $23.9 billion (6.3%)
- France: $23.3 billion (6.1%)
- United Kingdom: $19.1 billion (5%)
- Italy: $17.4 billion (4.6%)
- Netherlands: $17.2 billion (4.5%)
- Ukraine: $12.3 billion (3.2%)
- United States: $11.9 billion (3.1%)
- Slovakia: $10.4 billion (2.7%)
- Spain: $10.4 billion (2.7%)
- Sweden: $9.4 billion (2.5%)
- Belgium: $9.1 billion (2.4%)
- Hungary: $9.1 billion (2.4%)
- Romania: $7.9 billion (2.1%)
- Austria: $7.9 billion (2.1%)
- Lithuania: $6.2 billion (1.6%)
- Denmark: $6.1 billion (1.6%)
- Türkiye: $5.1 billion (1.3%)
- Switzerland: $4.4 billion (1.2%)
- Russia: $4 billion (1%)
- Norway: $3.3 billion (0.9%)
- mainland China: $3.3 billion (0.9%)
- Finland: $3.1 billion (0.8%)
- Belarus: $3 billion (0.8%)
- Latvia: $2.6 billion (0.7%)
Almost nine-tenths (88.4%) of Polish exports in 2023 was delivered to the above 25 trade partners.
The fastest-growing buyers of Poland’s exports from 2022 to 2023 were Belarus (up 61.5%), Türkiye (up 40.3%), Ukraine (up 27%), Switzerland (up 21.4%), then the United States of America (up 18.6%).
There was a pair of decliners namely importers in Russia (down -17.6% from 2022) and Norway (down -0.6%).
Countries Causing Worst Trade Deficits for Poland
As defined by Investopedia, a country whose total value of all imported goods is higher than its value of all exports is said to have a negative trade balance or deficit.
It would be unrealistic for any exporting nation to expect across-the-board positive trade balances with all its importing partners. Similarly, that export country doesn’t necessarily post a negative trade balance with each individual partner with which it exchanges exports and imports.
Poland incurred the highest trade deficits with the following countries.
- mainland China: US-$30.9 billion (country-specific trade deficit in 2023)
- South Korea: -$7.7 billion
- Netherlands: -$7.4 billion
- Saudi Arabia: -$6.6 billion
- Belgium: -$5.9 billion
- Norway: -$3.3 billion
- Japan: -$2.2 billion
- Vietnam: -$1.6 billion
- Taiwan: -$1.6 billion
- Bangladesh: -$1.5 billion
Among Poland’s trading partners that cause the greatest negative trade balances, Polish deficits with Norway (up 93.8%) and Saudi Arabia (up 28.1%) grew from 2022 to 2023.
In addition, Poland transitioned from posting a $2.6 billion surplus trading with the Netherlands and a $1.6 billion surplus trading with Belgium to recording the deficits listed above.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Poland’s competitive disadvantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for Poland to develop country-specific strategies to strengthen its overall position in international trade.
Countries Generating Best Trade Surpluses for Poland
Poland earned an overall US$11.4 billion trade surplus in 2023, reversing -$15.7 billion trade deficit one year earlier for 2022.
Based on Investopedia’s definition of net importer, a country whose total value of all imported goods is lower than its value of all exports is said to have a positive trade balance or surplus.
Poland earned the highest trade surpluses at the expense of the following countries.
- United Kingdom: US$14.5 billion (country-specific trade surplus in 2023)
- Germany: $13 billion
- France: $9.1 billion
- Czech Republic: $8.7 billion
- Ukraine: $7.7 billion
- Romania: $4.7 billion
- Switzerland: $3.2 billion
- Slovakia: $2.7 billion
- Lithuania: $2.6 billion
- Belarus: $2.5 billion
Among Poland’s trading partners that generate the greatest positive trade balances, Polish surpluses with Belarus (up 197%), Switzerland (up 155%) and Ukraine (up 122.5%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.
These positive cashflow streams clearly indicate Poland’s competitive advantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for Poland to develop country-specific strategies to optimize its overall position in international trade.
Polish Export Companies Servicing Trading Partners
Seven corporations rank among Forbes Global 2000. Below is a sample of the major Polish companies that Forbes included.
- KGHM Polska Miedz (diversified metals, mining)
- Pgnig Group (oil, gas)
- PKN Orlen (oil, gas)
According to global trading platform Alibaba, the following companies are examples of export companies located in Poland. Shown within parenthesis is the product category that the Polish business specializes in.
- Ambra SA (sparking wines)
- BIP SP (diesel heaters)
- EWAX SC (undershirts, knitwear)
- GENATA SP (laundry detergent)
- POLSKA GRUPA MEBLOWA FURINI (furniture)
- PPHU BIURO-DRUK Fialkowska Aurelia (leather cases)
- STRAIGHTLINE TRADE LIMITED SP (water purification equipment)
- TOMASZ RONATOWICZ TOP SOCZEWKI (watches)
- Zbyszko Company SP (sparkling water)
See also Poland’s Top 10 Exports, Poland’s Top 10 Imports, Czech Republic’s Top Trading Partners and Germany’s Top Trading Partners
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on May 13, 2024
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on May 13, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 13, 2024
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 13, 2024
Wikipedia, List of Companies of Poland. Accessed on May 13, 2024
Wikipedia, Poland. Accessed on May 13, 2024
Zepol’s company summary highlights by country. Accessed on May 13, 2024