voluntary report public distribution date 7 12 2004 gain number pl4019 pl2004 poland product brief value added products approved by charles rush agricultural attaché us embassy prepared jolanta figurska marketing specialist charlene kastanek intern highlights s food retail sector continues to undergo radical transformation as consumer incomes grow the presence of foreign hypermarkets however prospects for sales are hampered stiff polish and eu competition real gdp demonstrated growth 3 8 percent in 2003 domestic demand increased 2 4 includes psd changes no trade matrix unscheduled warsaw pl1 pl usda service global agriculture information network template version 09 page 9 unclassified section i demographics republic is ninth largest country europe located very center it bordered germany west czech slovak republics south ukraine belarus lithuania east russia north northern coastline runs along baltic sea which supplies its productive seafood industry