Foreign trade in agri-food products, 3/2020 (preliminary)

• In March 2020, exports of agricultural products and foodstuffs amounted to just over EUR 0.15 billion and imports amounted to just under EUR 0.5 billion. From February 2020, the value of exports of agricultural products and foodstuffs increased by almost EUR 10 million (7%), and the value of imports by about EUR 70 million (17%). In March, exports of agricultural products and foodstuffs to China decreased by 45% from the previous month, by a total of more than EUR 4 million.

• The value of grain exports fell by about a third in March (EUR 5.3 million). This was explained almost exclusively by the stagnation of exports to Spain. 5 million kilos of grain were exported to Spain in February, and in March grain exports stopped there. The value of grain imports fell by about a fifth; less than EUR 0.7 million.

• As the value of exports and imports of raw grain decreased, both exports and imports of processed cereals picked up during March. The value of exports of cereal products increased by 21% and the value of imports by about 19%. Of the cereal products, both various bakery and mill products, as well as flour, were both exported and imported.

• The value of exports of milk and dairy products rose by almost a fifth in March; EUR 5.8 million. The value of imports increased by about 13%, or about EUR 3.5 million. Of the milk and dairy products, butter was exported the most (EUR 13 million) and cheese and curd imported the most (EUR 24 million). Yoghurt and ice cream were also imported a lot, for a total of more than 7 million euros.

• The value of meat exports increased by about 36% in March; EUR 4.2 million. The value of meat imports grew more moderately; about 13%. Pork was exported the most (EUR 10.3 million), an increase of 40% compared to February.

• The value of alcohol imports increased by 50 percent in March. Imports of coffee and tea also increased by more than a quarter.

• The value of fruit and berry imports increased by about a fifth in March and their exports fell by 16%. Bananas, apples and citrus fruits were the most imported. The value of vegetable imports fell by almost 60 per cent in March compared with the previous month, while the value of exports remained almost unchanged.

The final annual foreign trade statistics for agricultural products and foodstuffs 2019 will be published in September Release calendar. Until then, the data for 2019 may still change.

Annual statistics: Foreign trade in agri-food products 2002-201 9