The latest data on EU agri-food trade published today indicate that for the period January-September 2021 the total value of the EU agri-food trade (exports plus imports) amounts to € 239.5 billion, an increase of € 6 billion. 1% compared to the corresponding period last year. Exports increased by 8%, reaching € 145.2 billion, with an increase in imports of 3.5%, which made it possible to reach a total turnover of € 94.2 billion.

These figures reflect an overall surplus of agri-food trade equivalent to € 51 billion for the first nine months of the year, an increase of 17% compared to the same period of 2020. The largest increase in exports is recorded to the United States. grew by 15%, mainly thanks to exports of wine, spirits and spirits as well as chocolate and confectionery. Exports to South Korea also increased, due to the excellent "performance" of wine, pork, wheat and malted wheat, and exports to Switzerland. Agri-food exports to the United Kingdom in 2021 exceeded the amount of the corresponding period of the previous year for the first time, increasing by € 166 million.

Instead, significant reductions in the value of exports to Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Kuwait were reported. As for agri-food imports, the greatest increase was recorded for products from Brazil, whose imports grew by € 1.4 billion, with an increase of 16% compared to the same period of 2020. Also growing imports from Indonesia, Argentina, Australia and India. On the other hand, considerable decreases were noted in imports from various countries, the most significant of which was the decrease of € 2.9 billion, or 27%, in imports from the United Kingdom, followed by those from the United States. Canada, New Zealand and Moldova.

As for the product categories, the January-September period saw a sharp increase in the export values of wine, spirits and spirits. Other significant increases in export value were observed for rapeseed and sunflower oils, chocolate and confectionery. Conversely, exports of baby food and wheat have fallen considerably.