The northern and east-central regions of the country mainly offered poorer sandy soils suitable for rye and potatoes.
The richer soils of the central and southern parts of the country, excluding those at higher elevations, made those regions the centers of wheat, sugar beet, hops, and tobacco production.
In 1989 almost half of Poland's arable land was used for the cultivation of the four major grains, another 13 percent grew potatoes, All regions of Poland raised dairy cows, beef cattle, pigs and poultry, and cultivated fruit, usually as an integral part of mixed farming.
[citation needed] Beginning with de-collectivization in 1956, Poland was the only member of Comecon where the private sector predominated in agriculture.
The state also retained significant influence on the process of cultivation, restrictions on the size of farms, and limitations on the buying and selling of land.
Until the beginning of the 1980s, the allocation system for fertilizers, machines, building materials, fuels, and other inputs discriminated severely against private farmers.
Cooperative farms, the dominant form of state agricultural organization in other East European economies, were not important in Poland.
Private farm size had to increase to provide farmers a satisfactory level of income and investment.
A satisfactory social safety net and retraining programs for displaced agricultural workers were prerequisites for further reductions in labor.
Considerable investment is needed to provide adequate agricultural infrastructure, including road improvement, telecommunications, water supply, housing, and amenities.
Especially important is establishment of a well-developed, competitive network of suppliers of materials and equipment necessary for modern agricultural production.
Equally necessary are commercial firms to purchase agricultural products and provide transportation and storage facilities.
The agency was authorized to lease state farm lands to either Polish or foreign renters, as a temporary measure to ensure continued productivity.
Compared to other countries in Europe, Poland has the highest number of inhabitants who are professionally active in agriculture.
In the epidemics of the 1960s the source of overwintering inoculum was believed to be in the plains of the lower Danube, carried on the wind through Poland and Ukraine as the year went on, and into Scandinavia.
Until further notice the GIORiN ordered no inspections or phytosanitary certificates be required at the Poland–Ukraine border for foods which are: Additionally the GIORiN ordered that any problems with this policy be resolved as quickly as possible and requested the European Commission implement the same policy at all parts of the EU border with Ukraine.