Fresh produce suppliers in Morocco and Egypt may find more opportunity to grow sales in eastern Europe, says report
Eastern Europe offers major commercial opportunities for fresh produce suppliers, with growth in the market for imported fruit and vegetables ahead of other parts of the continent, according to a new report prepared by the FAO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
“The eastern part of the EU has been increasing its fruit and vegetable imports much faster than the older EU member states,” commented FAO economist Andriy Yarmak during a recent online seminar to explain the findings of the study, which was aimed at Egyptian and Moroccan exporters.
“When accounting for average inflation over the past five years, it becomes evident that the EU15 is actually decreasing its fruit and vegetable imports,” he added.
According to EastFruit, countries such as Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the Baltic states have increased their fruit and vegetable imports by approximately 2 per cent annually in recent years.
Meanwhile, imports have fallen by 1 per cent per annum in the older EU states, it noted. For North African suppliers, this could prompt a shift in focus.
“The trade data speaks for itself,” Yarmak added. “Targeting Eastern Europe means you don’t have to displace existing market players; you simply need to meet the growing demand.”
With around 111mn consumers and above-average economic growth, eastern Europe imports around 1.5mn tonnes of citrus, 800,000 tonnes of potatoes and onions, 500,000 tonnes of tomatoes, and over 200,000 tonnes of sweet peppers each year, among other products.
Other categories, such as avocados, sweet potatoes, watermelons, and fresh and frozen berries, are said to have maintained rapid growth rates in the past few years.
