The expansion and changing cropping pattern of rapeseed production and biodiesel manufacturing in Poland

Poland depends on imports for its transportation fuel supply and EC renewable energy policy encourages rapeseed conversion into biodiesel. This paper discusses changes in winter rapeseed production following changes in sugar policy, decreased dependence on potato use as feed and food, and the EU 2007–2009 support program for production of oil seeds as biofuel feedstock. We examine whether farm cost efficiency scores differ across Poland's 16 regions between those growing rapeseed and all other farms using Farm Accounting Data Network (FADN) data. Farms growing rapeseed are more cost efficient in all regions, and while regions with long experience in growing rapeseed still dominate the production, rapeseed production is expanding into new areas. Subsidies offered under the EU support program likely initiated expansion and the expansion continues after the program expired. Less efficient farms can be encouraged to enter rapeseed production through farm outreach services and competitive prices in relation to other crops since the available land permits further expansion of this biodiesel feedstock production.