LONDON: EU – Agri-food exports from the EU rose to €9.3 billion in January, a tiny amount above January levels in previous years, the latest EU Monitoring EU Agri-Food Trade statistical report shows.
The highest increases in monthly export values were achieved for pork, vegetables and meat products classified under offal and other meat. Monthly export values in January 2016 compared to December 2015 went down in particular for hides and skins (EUR -96 million), milk powders and sugar.
For the 12-month period February 2015 to January 2016, EU agri-food exports reached a value of more than €129 billion, meaning an increase by 6 per cent in value compared to the same period one year ago.
The highest increases in monthly export values were recorded for the US, China and some North African and Middle East countries (including Iran), while the most important reductions were for Hong Kong, Algeria, Korea and again, Russia.
In January 2016 agri-food imports to the EU decreased slightly to €9.2 billion from €9.3 billion in January 2015. The highest reduction in monthly imports was from Canada and Brazil, while imports from Ukraine and US went up.
The trade balance for all EU agri-food products in January 2016 turned into a slight export surplus compared to the export deficit in January 2015. The export surplus for the 12-months period (Feb 2015 to Jan 2016) lies at around EUR 16 billion.
