<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 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 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 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 examines trends in changes in relations among three production factors (land, labor, and capital) in agriculture in the selected European Union countries. For the purpose, the assumptions regarding the direction and the mechanism of changes in the relations were verified empirically. It was assumed that the basis of the mechanism is the ratio of changes in factor productivity to changes in the prices (remuneration) of these factors. Trends in production factors were verified empirically using agricultural economic accounts as well as statistics on labor and land inputs in agriculture collected by Eurostat. The trends in changes in the relations among production factors correspond to the capital-intensive stage of growth in agriculture. A strong trend of decline in the labor factor in agriculture was demonstrated along with the reduction of land in the EU agriculture. The changes were accompanied by diversified involvement of the capital factor in agriculture. With a constant increase in the volume of agricultural production, there is a corresponding increase in the productivity of the production factors. The increase is the smallest in the case of the capital factor, because it performs not only a growth function, but also is a substitute for the decline in other factors. An increased productivity of the production factors is related to an increase in their remuneration reflected by an increase in their prices. The deviations from capital-intensive growth in agriculture observed in the empirical study indicate other factors influencing the remuneration of production factors in agriculture.
</abstract>

Changes in Production Factor Relations and their Determinants in Agriculture in Selected European Union Countries

<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

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...