Fall in EU fresh produce exports 

Fruit and vegetable exports to non-EU countries fell by 4% (year-on-year) in volume in 2021, according to Eurostat data processed by Fepex. Total shipments from the 27 EU member states plus the UK to non-EU countries also fell by 2% in value to just over €5bn.

Fresh fruit exports fell by 1% to 2.6m tons, for a value of €2.88bn (-1%), while vegetable exports dropped 6% to 2.8m tons, with value falling 4% to €2.12bn.

”Faced with the low volumes and the drop in sales of community fruit and vegetables to third countries, the opposite process occurs in community imports from third countries, with much more volume and growth,” Fepex stated. “In this sense, imports from the EU plus the UK of fruit and vegetables produced in third countries grew by 4 per cent in 2021 compared to 2020, standing at 14.8m tons, which shows, according to Fepex, the globalisation of the food market.”