<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The wine market is very competitive. It is relatively easy for new competitors to enter and there is increasing competition from spirits and beer producers. In addition, wine has begun to be produced in countries with no tradition of wine production, such as Sweden, Norway, Slovakia, and Poland. On such markets, consumers tend to have little experience and knowledge of wine. The aim of this publication is to identify the preferences of wine consumers in Poland and their significance for the management of wine businesses. The research method used was an indirect survey. An online survey was used as the research tool. The survey was carried out between June 2020 and March 2021. The questionnaire was completed by a total of 723 adults. The most popular places to buy wine were discount stores and supermarkets. More than 50% of respondents paid up to PLN 35 (EUR 8) for a bottle of wine. They also prefer quality wines. However, one in four consumers cannot tell the difference between regional, table, and quality wines. Among the various attributes of wine, the most important for consumers were the design of the label, the way the bottle was sealed, and the country of origin. The most important factors when buying wine were the type of wine (dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, or sweet), value for money, and previous experience with wine. Wines from the countries with the largest wine production were preferred: Italy, Spain, and France. According to the study, consumers showed little interest in various wine novelties.
</abstract>

Peculiarities of Polish Wine Consumers: Implications for Wine Business Management

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the functioning of the entire economy. However, the strength of the impact was not uniform across sectors, with some affected more severely and others only slightly. Due to its importance, agribusiness is of particular interest. Therefore, the aim of the publication is to assess the economic and financial condition of farms in Poland and Czechia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study covered the 2017–2021 period. The economic and financial condition was established on the basis of the following volumes and values of indicators: total output, prices of products and inputs, export and import volumes, productivity, profitability and debt ratios. The study includes data from national statistics and the FADN agricultural accounting system and concerns two EU countries, mentioned above. Chain indices were used to show trends, while the financial analysis includes selected productivity, profitability, and debt ratios. Calculations were carried out for average values of farms and divided into economic size classes. The results indicate that the agricultural sector was not particularly vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis in terms of changes in output, which was mainly influenced by weather factors. What did change were the higher prices of agricultural raw materials and inputs (fertilizers, fuels, feed) in 2021. In Poland the growth dynamics of the prices of sold products surpassed that of inputs, in Czechia the proportions were reversed. This translated into the values of financial indicators. In general, they improved in Poland, while in Czechia 2021 turned out to be less favourable financially. Comparing different economic classes, in Poland the results for small farms were relatively good, in Czechia the larger entities fared better under the crisis conditions.
</abstract>

Economic and Financial Condition of Farms in Poland and Czechia During the COVID-19 Pandemic

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The aim of the article is to present an assessment of the economic effects of replacing the WIBOR rate with the WIRON rate for preferential credits in Polish agriculture. The study is an in-depth case study and uses the simulation analysis method. The introduction of the WIRON 3M rate will result in a reduction in the interest rate on preferential credits granted in the future, and the nominal scale of the discount will depend on the phase of monetary policy in the country and the level of the applicable interest rates set by the National Bank of Poland (NBP). However, in the case of credits granted according to the currently applicable mechanism (interest rate based on WIBOR 3M) or the promissory note rediscount rate, the change will most likely be neutral. The largest part of the interest rate reduction in all phases of the monetary policy cycle is obtained by borrowers (farmers) using credit lines: RR (credits for investments in agriculture and inland fishing, Z (credits for the purchase of agricultural land) and most activities financed under the PR line (credits for investments in the processing of agricultural products, fish, crustaceans and molluscs, as well as the purchase of stocks and shares). In the case of disaster loans granted to insured borrowers, the only beneficiary of the index change will be the State Treasury. Quantifying the potential savings for borrowers in the agricultural sector related to changes in reference rates is not easy due to the scarcity of the available detailed data.
</abstract>

Evaluation of the Effects of Replacing the Wibor Rate by the Wiron Rate for Preferential Credits in Polish Agriculture

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The article aims is to analyze the internet utilization patterns of rural households in selected European Union countries, particularly focusing on Poland, and to assess the specificity and level of differentiation in this area between countries. The study divides European Union (EU) countries into clusters based on the share of rural residents’ using the internet from 2004 to 2022. Employing Ward’s method and k-means clustering with the squared Euclidean distance measure, cluster analysis is used for country grouping. Internet functionalities are analyzed to understand consumer behaviors. The study shows that European countries can be categorized into four distinct groups according to the percentage of rural inhabitants who had access to the internet. Internet functionalities revealed variations in accessing information, scheduling medical appointments, social networking, online courses, and political engagement across these clusters. It was found that digital inequality among rural inhabitants in the EU persists, with varying levels of internet usage and utilization of internet functionalities. The convergence hypothesis suggests that less developed areas experience faster growth in internet usage, potentially reducing disparities. Policies promoting digital inclusion and advanced digital skills training are essential to bridge the digital divide in rural areas. In conclusion, access to internet functionalities, especially in healthcare and education, remains a challenge that requires attention. The study emphasizes the importance of considering cultural and socio-economic contexts in understanding digital inequality. This research sheds light on the digital divide in rural EU regions and highlights the need for targeted interventions to enhance digital inclusion and improve the quality of life for rural residents.
</abstract>

The Role of Information and Communication Technologies in Rural Development

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The purpose of this study is to illustrate the convergence of sludge utilization in Bulgaria and other selected European Union countries (Hungary, Poland, Czechia, and Romania) and examine by correlation and asymmetric analysis how and to what extent the transaction costs and sludge utilization impact the use of sludge and inorganic fertilizers in agriculture. The usage of sludge from wastewater plants in the agriculture is still a widespread way of sludge utilization, even though the trend in the recent years shows a gradual regress and visible growth in other wastewater outlets. The correlation and asymmetric analyses were carried out to give insights about the role of transaction costs in sludge use and the effect of sludge disposal in agriculture to supplement the mineral fertilizers. It is noted that the agriculture is still a leading outlet of sludge disposal, the eventual transaction costs incurred by farmers to use it are not changing during last years, whereas the prices of mineral fertilizers were not perceived to boost sludge demand in agriculture. In countries such as Hungary and Poland, there is a relatively considerable symmetry between the increase in the use of inorganic fertilizers and the shrink in the sludge use in agriculture, while in Bulgaria the persistent trend of using inorganic fertilizers is supplemented by a temperate growth in sludge agriculture disposal. In turn, in Romania there is a strong asymmetry between the use of inorganic nitrogen and sludge in agriculture, however, it is attributed to lack of sludge application in agriculture in the first half of the period under consideration.
</abstract>

Comparative Analysis of Sludge Utilization in Agriculture in Bulgaria and Selected European Union Countries

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The aim of this study was to assess the impact of weather factors on the yield of selected cereals in the context of ongoing climate change. The study used variables specifying factors such as temperature, precipitation, as well as control variables, which were the share of medium and heavy soils in a given province and the consumption of mineral fertilizers in kg of NPK/ha. The dependent variables were yields of selected cereals. Data were collected from databases of the Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management National Research Institute (IMGW PIB), Poland Statistics (GUS), and Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation State Research Institute (IUNG PIB). The meteorological data came from 157 meteorological stations located in 14 provinces. Estimation was carried out for the 2013–2020 period. The study used the panel regression method. For all the models estimated, there was a significant effect of the number of days with precipitation on yields. While regularly occurring, moderate rainfall is undoubtedly favorable, large amounts of rainfall can adversely affect yields. Another statistically significant climatic factor is temperature during spring and summer, with moderate temperatures being the most favorable for yields. Changes in temperature affected yield changes in individual cereals with varying intensity, with the strongest effect recorded for wheat. On the basis of the research carried out, a conclusion was drawn that Polish agriculture will need to adapt to the  new conditions by undertaking a number of measures, including changing the  structure of crops, securing the  irrigation of plants against possible droughts with efficient, modern irrigation systems, increasing the  genetic diversity of plants, and using modern agrotechnics.
</abstract>

Impact of Weather Conditions on Cereal Yields in Poland

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The study aims to measure the profitability of spice crops, their marketing channels, marketing efficiency, and price spread effects. The study was based on a field survey of 320 spice farmers of Haryana state in India carried out between 2020 and 2021. The authors presented analytical purposes, compound growth rate, cost–benefit ratio, marketing channels, marketing efficiency and price spread effect. The growth of area and production of spice crops is not very strong compared to the profitability of spice crops. Cost–benefit ratio shows that spice crops are more profitable than traditional crops for farmers. However, due to high cost of cultivation, volatile prices, and fear of crop failure, area under spices cultivation is very small. Price spread effect is very high in channel I and II. The majority of farmers adopted inefficient marketing channel (low price for producer and high price for consumer) due to lack of storage facility and weak financial health. The role of government is important for protecting the rights of producers as well as consumers. Mediators’ role should be minimized by government policy in the marketing of spice crops in Haryana so that farmers can charge the right price for their spice crops.
</abstract>

Economics and Marketing of Selected Spices and Traditional Crops: Insights into Farmers from Haryana, India

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Excessive or inappropriate use of nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture causes environmental pollution problems around the world. The purpose of the study was to assess the state of farmers’ knowledge of the regulations on the implementation of cross-compliance in terms of the implementation of the nitrate program. The empirical part of the study was drawn up on the basis of a pilot survey conducted in 2022 in the Kolno municipality. The research was carried out on a randomly selected minimum required sample of 65 respondents (farmers). The analyses of the responses presented took into account the age and education of the respondents. The relationship between the state of knowledge and education was confirmed by the chi-square test. To achieve the purpose of the study, a hypothesis was put forward, such as that farmers, although aware of the need to comply with cross-compliance, have gaps in their knowledge of the specific rules of conduct. Based on the results of the study, it was found that younger farmers showed greater knowledge of cross-compliance in the context of the nitrate program, but the best results were found in the group of younger but experienced farmers, starting from the age of 30.
</abstract>

Farmers’ Knowledge about Current Nitrate Program on the Example of the Kolno Municipality

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The aim of this study was to identify the long-term tendencies regarding the land use in farms of different sizes in Poland and Czechia, with special focus on small-scale farms. The article answers the question about functioning of small farms in Poland and Czechia, as they represent different structures of land use among farms. On the one hand, the land fragmentation in Poland, and on the other hand, domination of large farms in Czechia, with a lower share of small farms. To achieve the aim, the study used data from the Farm Structure Survey (FSS) and Agricultural Census (2010, 2020) from Eurostat for six periods (2005, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2020) and selected data for recent years from the World Bank database.
In the period under analysis, it can be observed that there is a significant decline in the number of small farms both in Poland and Czechia, while the decrease in utilized agricultural area was smaller. Hence, the average area of farm increased which helped them to improve the land productivity, while increasing the standard output per hectare of utilized agricultural area. The analysis showed that there are two different models of the position of small farms in the Polish and Czech agricultural sectors, however, some positive and desired tendencies occur in both systems.
</abstract>

Small Farms in Poland and Czechia: Development Paths

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The main objective of the article was to assess the financial resilience of agri-food companies operating in the Mazowieckie Voivodship between 2018 and 2020. An intermediate objective was additionally to assess the financial health of these entities. The study used descriptive statistics methods, ratio analysis, and Taffler’s discrimination model. Empirical data were derived from annual financial statements downloaded from Dun &amp; Bradstreet and EMIS databases. The results showed that between 2018 and 2020, most entities in the agri-food sector were doing very well and there was a low probability that their financial situation would deteriorate. It is worrying that during the period under analysis, there remained a considerable number of agri-food enterprises with a high probability of financial problems (Z-score below 0.2). This group of enterprises accounted for approximately 30% of the sample. Entities with an elevated risk of financial problems struggled with significant excess liquidity and recorded negative profitability ratios – ROS and ROA. Asset indebtedness was a factor strengthening the financial resilience of the entities under analysis. The results of the analyses can be the basis for deepening the methods for assessing resilience in the agricultural sector (e.g., as part of the CAP 2023–2027 evaluation). Future research should include, inter alia, the identification of differences in Z-score by company size or production type, as well as the identification of determinants of financial resilience in terms of other factors that have not been analyzed yet.
</abstract>

Financial Resilience of Agri-Food Enterprises from Mazowieckie Voivodship

Declaration

Zagadnienia Ekonomiki Rolnej

Problems of Agricultural Economics

 The quarterly Zagadnienia Ekonomiki Rolnej / Problems of Agricultural Economics is the oldest and most representative journal in Poland dealing with agri-food economics and related...

Impact Factor

MNiSW

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 The quarterly Zagadnienia Ekonomiki Rolnej / Problems of Agricultural Economics is the oldest and most representative journal in Poland dealing...