May 3, 2023
In 2022, the value of trade (imports plus exports) of agricultural products between the EU and the rest of the world reached EUR 424.7 billion, EUR 77.5 billion more than in 2021 (EUR 347.2 billion). The EU exported EUR 229.1 billion worth of agricultural products and imported EUR 195.6 billion, generating a surplus of EUR 33.5 billion.
Between 2002 and 2022, EU trade in agricultural products close to tripled (from EUR 141.5 billion to EUR 424.7 billion), equivalent to an average annual growth of almost 5.6%. In this period, exports grew faster (5.9%) than imports (5.4%).
UK and Brazil: biggest export and import partners
In terms of export partners, the United Kingdom was the main partner with a 21% share of extra-EU exports of agricultural products (equivalent to EUR 47.8 billion), followed by the United States (13%; EUR 29.0 billion), China (7%; EUR 15.2 billion), Switzerland (5%; EUR 11.5 billion), Japan (4%; EUR 8.3 billion) and Russia (3%; EUR 7.0 billion).
Extra-EU imports originated mostly from Brazil (10%; EUR 19.9 billion), the United Kingdom (8%; EUR 16.4 billion), Ukraine (7%; EUR 13.1 billion), the United States (6%; EUR 12.3 billion), China (almost 6%; EUR 10.8 billion) and Norway (5%; EUR 9.3 billion).
For more information:
- Statistics Explained article on extra-EU trade in agricultural goods
- Thematic section on international trade of goods
- Database on international trade of goods
Methodological notes:
- In this news article, agricultural products relate to four major groups: animal products (HS chapters 1-5), vegetable products (HS chapters 6-14), animal or vegetable oils, fats and related products (HS chapter 15) and foodstuffs (HS chapters 16-24).
- As of January 2021 onwards, data on trade with the United Kingdom is based on a mixed concept. In application of the Withdrawal Agreement Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland, for trade with Northern Ireland the statistical concepts applicable are the same as those for trade between Member States while for trade with the United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland) the same statistical concepts are applicable as for trade with any other extra-EU partner country. For these reasons, data on trade with the United Kingdom are not fully comparable with data on trade with other extra-EU trade partners, and for reference periods before and after the end of 2020.