The strong start to the EU agri-food exports in 2019 continued in July with another monthly record figure of EUR 13.07 billion, 12.6% above the level of July 2018. Imports also increased to EUR 9.92 billion - 6% above the level of July 2018. As a result, the monthly agri-food trade surplus stood at EUR 3.15 billion – a 40% increase of the positive trade balance compared to EUR 2.25 billion in July 2018.
The highest increases in monthly export values (July 2019 compared to July 2018, EUR million) were recorded for the US (+393, +20.5%), China (+269, +26.5%) and Japan (+215, +37.5%), while exports decreased most to Hong Kong (-45, -13.6%), Libya (-34, -28%) and Turkey (-22, -8%).
The value of July 2019 EU agri-food imports compared to July 2018 increased most from Ukraine (+195, +62%), Brazil (+182, +18%) and China (+73, +16%). The value of imports went down most from the US (-144, -15%), Indonesia (-67, 19%) and New Zealand (-33, -12%).
Increases were recorded in import values of tropical fruit (+149, +15%), coarse cereals (+146, +63%) and vegetable oils (+88, +49%), while imports of soyabeans (-64, -13%), palm oil (-50, -11%) and citrus fruit (-47, -17%) fell the most in value terms.
