Polish agri-food products were once again promoted under the Poland tastes good slogan in Shanghai. The three-day SIAL Shanghai fair is a renowned event and the largest food industry exhibition in China and all of Asia. This year’s edition of the fair, which has been held since 2000, took place from 18 to 20 May 2026. The National Support Centre for Agriculture is exhibiting at SIAL Shanghai for the second time since 2019.
Polish food producers and exporters have also been present at the Shanghai fair for many years. This year, 16 of them exhibited at the national stand organised by KOWR under the “Poland tastes good” banner. Potential partners from China and other Asian countries had the opportunity to discover, at the Polish stand, a rich and broad food offer as well as products such as milk powders, cheeses and other dairy products, poultry, pasta, sweets and salty snacks, groats and cereal products, dried vegetables, semi-finished products for the confectionery, bakery and dairy industries, ready meals and energy drinks.
On the day before the fair, Polish entrepreneurs had the opportunity to take part in visits to three local wholesalers and retail chains offering imported food, including Polish products. The visit was an opportunity to learn about local methods of product display and to hold direct talks with store managers.
The official opening of the Polish stand on 17 May was attended by Jan Szopiński, Deputy Director General of KOWR; Adam Bralczyk, Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Shanghai; and Ewa Nowacka, agricultural counsellor at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Beijing.
The promotional activity of KOWR and the entrepreneurs was complemented by live cooking shows at the national stand, combined with tastings of traditional Polish dishes and snacks. These naturally included pierogi and duck, which are also popular in China.
China is the world’s second-largest economy after the United States and the largest economy in terms of purchasing power. The purchasing power of Chinese consumers is steadily increasing with national income: GDP per capita has exceeded USD 13,000 in nominal terms and has approached USD 25,000 per person in purchasing power parity. China remains one of the world’s largest importers of food and agricultural products. In 2025, the value of Chinese imports of agri-food products amounted to approximately EUR 166 billion. Since joining the WTO in 2001, China has moved from being a net exporter to a huge net importer of agricultural goods. It imports, among other things, more than 60% of the world’s soybean trade and is a leading importer of milk powder, pork, beef and seafood.
In 2025, the value of exports of Polish agri-food products to China amounted to EUR 135.79 million. More than half of this export value consisted of dairy products (EUR 69.95 million). Other categories with the largest share of exports to China in 2025 included feathers used for stuffing, confectionery, prepared foods for infants, and cereal and flour products.
The Chinese market has almost unlimited absorption capacity compared with our production potential, but the challenge lies in meeting formal requirements, adapting products to the preferences of Chinese consumers and standing out from the competition.
