The latest EU agri-food trade figures released recently show that the total value of EU agri-food trade reached €31.4 billion in April 2022, a 14% increase on to April 2021.

Exports of agricultural products from the EU decreased by 5.4%, mainly due to lower exports to Russia (-26%) and China (-11%).

Imports of agricultural products from the EU reached a value of €13.5 billion (1.2% less than in March), giving an agri-food trade balance of €4.4 billion for April 2022. This is a decrease of 16% month-over-month.

Overall, trade flows from January to April 2022 are significantly higher than the corresponding period last year, with exports increasing by 10% and imports increasing by 28% due to high world prices.

Russian invasion

The report also focusses on the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for agri-business in April 2022.

As a result, maize imports from Ukraine dropped dramatically in March and April (-35% over one year), as did those from Serbia (-77%).

Maize imports from the US, Canada, Moldova and Brazil have partially compensated for this supply chain disruption.

Notable month-on-month increases were seen in exports to Ukraine and sub-Saharan Africa.

To Ukraine, there was a 93% increase from March, with particularly strong growth in exports of pork, poultry, flour and flakes.

The growth in exports to sub-Saharan Africa concerns oilseeds (+83% in volume), cereals (+27%) and cereal preparations (+14%).

Looking at specific product categories, the value of grain exports grew the most in the first four months of the year, increasing by 26% or €1 million.

Cereal preparations and milling products (+15%) and dairy products (+13%) also saw notable growth.

Exports of pigmeat and horticulture, however, fell by 24% and 3%, respectively.

This was due to the continued reduction in demand for pigmeat exports to China and lower demand for horticultural products in the UK and Russia.