Fruit and vegetable trade within the EU has dropped by 2% in volume in the first half of 2014 compared with the same period last year.
In total, the volume of shipments stood at 18.7 million tonnes worth 14,818 million Euro, down 7%, according to the Statistical Office of the European Union, Eurostat.
Regarding vegetables, shipments during the first half of 2014 stood at 10.4 million tonnes, down 3%, and their value was of 6,894 million Euro (-9%). Potatoes and tomatoes are the most traded vegetables in the EU, with 3.6 million tonnes of potatoes and 1.3 million tonnes of tomatoes.
As for fruit, shipments stood at 8.2 million tonnes, the same volume as in the first half of 2013, although their value dropped by 5%, to 7,924 million Euro. Oranges, bananas and apples are the main fruits traded between Member States of the EU with 1.35 million tonnes (-18%), 1.33 million tonnes (+4%) and 1 million tonnes (-4%) respectively.
By countries, Spain is still the largest fruit and vegetable exporter in the EU with 6.1 million tonnes, followed by the Netherlands with 3.6 million tonnes and France with 2.2 million tonnes. A second group of prominent exporters includes Belgium with 1.8 million tonnes, Italy with 1.4 million tonnes and Germany with 1.1 million tonnes.
Spanish exports to EU countries reached 5,555 million Euro in the period at hand. The Netherlands stood at 3,622 million Euro and France obtained 1,241 million Euro.
The main importing EU countries are still Germany, France and the UK. Germany's import stood at 3.88 million tonnes, France's at 2.12 million tonnes and the UK imported 1.79 million tonnes.
In terms of value, Germany's fruit and vegetable imports from other EU countries amounted to 4,131 million Euro, France's reached 1,852 million Euro, and the UK reached 1,818 million Euro.