The cultivation contract is a contract strictly related with the process of production in agriculture. It is not an obligatory contract although national and EU regulations require that it must be signed for selected agricultural products. The aim of the article is an attempt to indicate the contemporary role of the cultivation contract. The article also attempts to answer the question if the current legal regulations secure the interest of both parties of the contract. The contract in question has numerous functions, which are modified along with the technological progress. However, it should still be seen as the main stem of the system supplying raw materials for the agri-food industry. Besides, it also plays a vital role as a legal instrument limiting broadly understood risk in agricultural production.