Przemysł rolny w województwie krakowskim 1918–1939

Abstract

The article is devoted to the situation of the agro industry in the Cracow Voivodeship in the interwar period. The difficult situation of the agriculture in this area (small farms, poverty, economic backwardness after the annexation, war damage) forced the authorities and private parties to pay special attention to this branch of agriculture. Well-developed agro industry contributes to ennobling the plant production, enlarges the income of the farmers, offers new job openings, and allows lengthening the best-before date. In the interwar period, Cracow agro industry experienced its peaks and crises. The potato processing industry was not developed. The diary and oil mill industry were on a low level. In spite of attempts, a sugar refinery was not opened. On the other hand, the milling and meat packing industry were modernized and breweries in Okocim and Żywiec were successful. The greatest success for the whole Lesser Poland was the creation of the basis of bacon industry. Thanks to the advances of the local authorities and the support of national bodies, two modern slaughterhouses were built in Tarnów and Dębica. Thus, convenient pig farming conditions were created in the Cracow Voivodeship. It contributed to increasing the income of many small farms. The history of the activity of the agro industry in the years of the Second Polish Republic should be a lesson for the contemporary decision-makers who are responsible for the agriculture as modern agriculture cannot exist without a well-organized agro industry.