The value of the European Union's fruit imports from third countries up until October 2015 stood at 9.833 million Euro, 11% more than in the same period of 2014, with South Africa, Costa Rica and Chile as the main suppliers, according to data from Eurostat processed by FEPEX.
EU imports from South Africa totalled 1,391 million Euro (a 19% increase), with citrus fruits, grapes and apples as the main products. South African citrus imports grew by 27% to 546 million Euro; grapes (fresh or dried) reached 396 million Euro (+12%) and apples and pears stood at 227.5 million Euro (+19%).
The EU's imports from Costa Rica increased by 3% in the first ten months of 2015, totalling 993 million Euro. Bananas and pineapples are the main imported products, with increases of 4% and 2%, totalling 488 million Euro and 432 million Euro, respectively.
Chilean imports grew by 13%, reaching 816.5 million Euro. Grapes, with 282 million Euro (+1%) are the most imported fruit, followed by apples and pears, which dropped by 4% to 213 million Euro.
Ecuador and Turkey rank fourth and fifth in the list of the EU's largest fruit suppliers, with 731 million Euro (+1%) and 636.2 million Euro (+10%), respectively.
These five countries account for the bulk of the EU's fruit imports from third countries; however, the number of countries exporting to the EU is very large, mostly because, according to FEPEX, the EU is easier to access than other markets. Some other noteworthy fruit suppliers include Israel, with 245 million Euro, up 16%, or Morocco, with 349 million Euro, with a 25% growth and citrus as the flagship product, accounting for 121 million Euro, 20% more. There are also imports from Egypt, with 242 million Euro and a 19% growth, the Ivory Coast, with 188 million Euro (+7%) or Cameroon, with 184 million Euro (+15%).
Source: fepex.es