Declining agricultural exports in 2020

GEFA forecasts that exports of German agricultural products and foodstuffs as well as agricultural technology will total EUR 78.4 billion in 2020, 2.3% below the previous year's level. The past year has presented us with unprecedented tests in several respects. The critical start to the year due to Covid-19 was followed by an equally critical export autumn, which was also characterized by the outbreak of animal diseases (ASF and AI), whose in some cases dramatic effects we cannot yet properly assess, says Bernd Wirtz, spokesman for GEFA and Managing Director in the Vion Food Group. Especially with regard to the third country, we need significantly increased political initiatives and support to regain previous market access and gradually achieve new market openings for our exporters in the industry.
Exports to October 2020, including agricultural machinery (sources: AMI / VDMA forecast), reach 65.6 billion euros, down 2.0% year-on-year. Exports to the EU-28 (45.8 billion euros) are 3.3% below the previous year in the same period. By contrast, exports to non-EU countries increased slightly, by 1.4% to 14.4 billion euros. These positive developments are mainly due to strong increases in exports to Asia (+5.5%) and Africa (+10.6%).

The complete press release of GEFA e.V. can be found here.

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