The gap between imports and exports of food products tripled in the first half

2016-10-21 21:49:48 - From the Print Edition

In the first half of 2016, the agro-food trade deficit, namely the gap between imports and exports, amounted to 663.6 million Euro, more than three times higher than the same period in 2015, according to a report submitted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to Mediafax. Imports rose by 12.5 per cent, reaching 2.9 billion Euro, while exports totalled only 2.3 billion Euro, down 4.9 per cent compared to the first semester of 2015, resulting thus a trade deficit in food products of over 663 million Euro. On imports, the most significant increases have been observed in wheat (up 35.1 million Euro), bakery, confectionery and biscuits products (up 28.4 million Euro), sugar (up 25.5 million Euro), ready to cook food (+20.5 million Euro), chocolate (+20.1 million Euro), cheese (up 18.3 million Euro), bananas (+16.7 million Euro), cigarettes (+15.2 million Euro) and citrus fruits (up 15.0 million Euro). Pork meat was the main product imported in the first half, the total value being of 129.5 million Euro (up 12.8 million Euro compared to the same period of 2015). Imports decreased on corn (down 119.7 million Euro), live swine (down 7.3 million Euro) and sunflower seeds (down six million Euro). On exports, corn and sunflower oil have marked the strongest decreases compared to the first half of last year, by 259.8 million Euro and by 42.5 million Euro, respectively. For poultry, exports fell by 10.2 million Euro, while imports increased by 8.1 million Euro. The main product exported was wheat, with 2.43 million tonnes for 421.7 million Euro, the delivered quantity increasing by 88.1 per cent compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, and revenues being higher by 151.9 million Euro. Additional volumes exported generated higher revenues compared to the first semester of 2015 on barley (+23.2 million Euro), sunflower seeds (+15.6 million Euro), live cattle (+14.8 million Euro), bakery, confectionery and biscuits products (+9.6 million Euro), pork meat (+ 6.7 million Euro).