October 28, 2016

EU agri-food exports rise in Aug.; pork posts good showing

The value of EU agri-food exports in August reached €10.6 billion (US$11.55 billion), with exports of pork and infant formula doing particularly well compared with August 2015, according to the latest monthly update of EU agri-food trade.

Exports of milk powder, and raw hides and skins declined.

Overall, agri-food exports in Augustexceeded the export values in August of previous years, bucking the usual trend of a post-July dip.

Data also showed that during the 12-month period from September 2015 to August 216, the export valuesfor pig meat increased by €1.2 billion ($1.31 billion), or 31%, compared with the export values in the previous period.

(Earlier it was reported by AHDB Pork, citing Eurostat data, that EU pork exports slowed down in August this year to 189,000 tonnes , although they remained higher than any month before the start of this year. It was also 27% higher than in the same month last year.)

Highest export value increases

The highest increases in monthly export values (August 2016 versus August 2015) were recorded for products exported to the USA (rising by €221 million) and China (by €106 million), Three other major Asian markets - Vietnam, Japan, and South Korea-also posted increases of €50 million or more each.

Imports

Agri-food imports from third countries increased in value over the 12-month period under review, most particularly for Ivory Coast (+21%), Peru (+14%), Australia (+12%) and Argentina (+7%).-Rick Alberto