The EU's main non-EU suppliers of fresh fruit and vegetables in 2016 were South Africa, with 1.63 billion Euro; Morocco, with 1.38 billion Euro; Costa Rica, with 1.27 million Euro and Turkey, with 1.11 billion Euro, which together accounted for 35% of the total value of EU imports from third countries, which stood at € 15.3 billion, according to Eurostat data processed by FEPEX.
EU imports from these four countries were further strengthened in 2016 compared to 2015, with growth of 4% for South Africa, 10% for Morocco, 7% for Costa Rica and 14% in the case of Turkey.
Fruits accounted for 99% of the value of EU imports from South Africa, with 1.61 billion Euro from the total 1.63 billion, and with citrus fruits topping the ranking, with a value of 601 million Euro (+9%), followed by grapes, with 473,781 Euro (-3%).
As for Morocco, the value of the EU's vegetable imports amounted to 921 million Euro in 2016, 8% more than in 2015. Tomatoes were the most imported product, with 417.1 million Euro; up 6% compared to the previous year, followed way behind by pod vegetables, mainly green beans, with 254 million Euro (+3%). EU imports of Moroccan fruit were worth € 465 million (+12%), with citrus as the most imported fruits, reaching € 175 million (+8%), followed by melons and watermelons, with € 88 million (+7%).
Imports from Costa Rica consisted mostly of fruit, with 1.27 billion Euro in total; practically 100% of imports. Bananas stood out with 661.6 million Euro (+15%), but there were also noteworthy shipments of pineapples, dates and figs, with 541 million Euro; the same value as in 2015.
EU imports of fruit from Turkey amounted to € 916 million (+9%) and consisted mostly of fresh and dried grapes, with imports worth € 386.2 million (-3%), while vegetable imports were worth 196 million Euro, 37% more than in 2015, with tomato shipments reaching 63 million Euro (+64%).
For FEPEX, the data for 2016 show the growing trend of importing fruit and vegetables from third countries and the EU's wide range and diversification of supplier countries, since together with the four mentioned, there are also countries such as Chile and Peru, with imports worth one million Euro in both cases; Colombia, with 968 million Euro; Ecuador, with 810 million Euro; Argentina, with 513 million Euro, or Israel, with 487 million Euro, etc.
Source: fepex.es
