Brussels, 30/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - Over the period August-November 2014, Russia remained the third-largest importer of agri-food products from the EU, despite the Russian ban on EU agricultural products, according to the latest statistics announced by the European Commission on Friday 30 January.
These statistics also reveal that European farmers have, in some cases, succeeded in finding new outlets. The EU's total agri-food exports over the period August-November 2014 was up 1.7% (€42.3 billion) compared to the same period in 2013, despite the drop in agri-food exports to Russia (-36%, or a total value of €2.6 billion in August-November 2014, compared to €4.1 billion in August-November 2013). The figures show an increase of 9% in the EU's exports to the United States (to €5.9 billion) and an increase of 8% in exports to China (€2.7 billion). Exports to Hong Kong were up 20% (€1.6 billion), as were those to Switzerland (+4%), Norway (+2%) and Algeria (+7%).
Despite the positive development of agri-food exports at EU level, not all member states saw an increase over the period August-November 2014. A slight drop (less than 10%) was registered in France, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Romania and Slovenia, but far greater decreases were noted in Finland (-32%) and Estonia (-22%).
The products for which exports to Russia fell the most are those hit by the Russian ban (mainly pork, beef and poultry meat, dairy products and fruits and vegetables). For all of these products, exports to Russia were suspended following the entry into force of the ban (the reduction rate varies between 90% and 100%).
However, real losses largely depend on the possibility of finding other markets. More interesting is to examine the evolution of total exports for all categories of prohibited products. Comparing the period August-November 2014 to the same period in 2013, the sharpest drops in the total value of EU exports were to be seen for dairy products (-19.4% for cheeses, -9.5% for butter), fruit (-10.2%) and vegetables (-13.5%). This was partly offset by an increase value for exports of fruit and vegetable preparations. As for meat, the drop in total exports seems to be less severe (-1% for pork).
The data also show that the member states hit the hardest by the Russian ban are: Lithuania (41% of products), Poland and Finland (19%), Estonia (18%), Luxembourg (12%) and Cyprus (11%). In terms of value, however, the classification differs slightly: after Lithuania (€922 million) and Poland (€840 million), the countries with the greatest losses are Germany (€594 million) and the Netherlands (€523 million). But this gives no indication as to real losses, as this depends on the capacity of the countries to find other markets. (LC)