According to the latest data of the European Statistics Office, Eurostat, in 2015, Community imports of fresh fruit from third countries increased by 11% in value and 3% in volume over the previous year, as they amounted to 11,824 million Euro and 11,845,466 tons. The banana was the most imported fruit, and Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Colombia were the main supplier countries.
In 2015 the EU imported 5,279,671 tons of bananas from non-EU countries, i.e. 3% more than in 2014. Citrus imports followed, with 2,060,559 tons (+ 7%) as well as pineapple and avocado imports with 1,619,724 tons (-2%).
The Community imported 929,293 tons of grapes (-1%), 677,143 tons of melons, watermelons and papaya, (+14%), as well as 678,936 tons of apples and pears (-8%). In 2015, stonefruit imports amounted to 151,416 tons, 11% more than in 2014.
Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Colombia were the main suppliers of fruits to the EU, because of their banana exports. In 2015 the EU imported 1.7 million tons of fruit from from Costa Rica, 5% less than in 2014; 1.4 million tons from Ecuador (-7%) and 1.4 million tons from Colombia (+21%).
The main suppliers of grapes to the EU were South Africa, Turkey, and Chile. In 2015, the EU imported 232,643 tons of grapes from South Africa, 18% more than in the previous year, 223,933 tons from Turkey (+4%) and 140,231 tons from Chile (-3%).
South Africa, Turkey, and Chile were also the main suppliers of stonefruit. The Community imported 50,063 tons of stonefruits from South Africa (-3%), 34,821 tons from Turkey (+14%) and 28,099 tons from Chile (+64%), according to the European Statistics Office, Eurostat.
Source: fepex.es