2020 started with a strong performance of EU agri-food exports

The EU recorded a strong monthly agri-food trade surplus of €3.76 billion in January 2020, an increase of 22% compared to January 2019. This is a result of a 3.1% rise in exports (to €14.36 billion) compared to the previous year) and a 2.2% decrease in the value of imports (to €10.6 billion). These are amongst the principal findings of the monthly trade report for January 2020, published today by the European Commission.

The coronavirus outbreak did not appear to affect the sale of EU agri-food products to China in January 2020, where the monthly value of exports rose by €483 million compared to January 2019. Increases were also recorded for the U.S. (+€150 million), Morocco (+€103 million), and Saudi Arabia (+€90 million). Decreases were recorded for Lebanon (-€39 million), the Philippines and Libya (both -€25 million). Although the UK remained under single market conditions in January 2020, the value of the EU27’s exports fell already by €878 million.

As regards imports, the EU imported more from Canada (+ €175 million), Indonesia (+€103 million), and Turkey (+ €52 million). Decreases in import value were registered for Ukraine (-€197 million) and Brazil (-€83 million). The value of imports from the UK decreased also already by €261 million compared to January 2019.

In terms of products, exports grew most notably for pork (+€302 million), wheat (+€223 million), coarse grains (+€87 million), and offal meat (+€81 million). Less export was recorded for meat preparations (-€60 million), chocolate and confectionary (-€47 million), fruit juices (-€36 million), as well as cigars and cigarettes (-€34 million).

The products that experienced the highest rises in import values were tropical fruit (+€202 million), palm and palm kernel oil (+€127 million), and oilseeds other than soya beans (+€109 million). Meanwhile, falls in monthly year-on-year import values were recorded for coarse grains (-€87 million), raw tobacco (- €114 million), and oil cake (-€86 million).