The value of EU agri-food exports for the 12-month period from July 2015 to June 2016 amounted to just over €129 billion, a 2.1% increase compared to 2014-2015, according to the latest monthly report on agricultural trade - with notable improvement in sales to the USA (+ €2.2 billion), China (+ €1,8 billion) and Saudi Arabia (+ €0.6 billion).
The sectors which have shown the greatest gains over the 12-month period are pigmeat (+ €986 million), wine (+ €511 million) and live animals (+ €502 million), whereas there was a notable decrease from the value of 2014-2015 exports for raw hides and skins (- €1.1 billion), wheat (- €1.0 billion, after record export sales during the marketing year 2014/15) and milk powders (- €695 million).
Annual agri-food imports rose by 3.5% to €113 billion in 2015-2016, despite a 9,6% drop in the value of imports from Brazil.
Tropical fruit, nuts and spices was the sector that showed by far the greatest rise in imports into the EU (+ €1.3 billion), continuing the steady increase seen in recent years. There were also significant improvement in 2015-2016 for cocoa beans (+ €682 million) and oilseeds other than soya beans (+ €624 million).
Figures for the month of June give an export value of €10.9 billion - the highest June value on record - with the monthly net trade surplus rising to €1.39 billion, relative to €870 million in June 2015.
Thursday August 18, 2016/ EC/ European Union.
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture