“The Eastern European region has increased its fruit and vegetable imports by 28% from 2019 to 2023, reaching an impressive $10 billion, excluding intra-regional trade. Despite demographic trends stabilizing many import segments in recent years, there remains significant potential for new market niches, approaches, suppliers, and products,” said Yevhen Kuzin, International Consultant and Horticulture Market Analyst at FAO, during the online training “Navigating the Eastern European fresh produce market. Opportunities for Egypt and Morocco”, organized by FAO/EBRD for around 100 Egyptian and Moroccan exporters on October 1, 2024, EastFruit informs.
Sweet potatoes, avocados, and fresh blueberries were the fastest-growing import categories in the region from 2019 to 2023, offering expanding market opportunities for both established and new suppliers in Eastern Europe, including Egypt and Morocco. “It should be noted that the actual presence of Egyptian and Moroccan products may be significantly higher than official data suggests, as the region still imports large quantities of fruits and vegetables through re-exporting countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, or even Poland and Czechia,” added Yevhen Kuzin.
Sweet potatoes continue to gain popularity among Eastern European consumers, with countries like Ukraine and Romania already establishing small production bases for this crop. Total imports of sweet potatoes have doubled in the region over the past five years, exceeding 22,000 tonnes in 2023, with Egypt successfully competing with the USA and Spain.
Read also: Growth in fruit and vegetable imports in EU primarily driven by Eastern Europe
Fresh blueberry imports have also nearly doubled from 2019 to 2023, driven by rising off-season consumption of all fresh berries in Eastern Europe. Morocco is now the sixth-largest direct supplier, thanks to its unique seasonal opportunities to supply blueberries before the start of the Spanish season and after the peak supplies from the Southern Hemisphere.
Avocado imports in Eastern Europe have approached 100,000 tonnes in 2023, with a diverse range of suppliers present in the market. Morocco has tripled its direct exports to the region to around 1,000 tonnes, although this was still insufficient to place it among the leading suppliers.
Both Egyptian and Moroccan fresh produce suppliers are invited to join the trade mission to Warsaw, Poland, in November this year to meet in person largest buyers of fruits and vegetables from Eastern Europe. The event is organized by the FAO/EBRD Project “Food Security Package SEMED – Diversifying and adding value to export markets” will organize.
Exporters are also encouraged to familiarize themselves with the following pre-mission materials:
· a comprehensive study of the Eastern European fruit and vegetable market
· video-recording of the training on navigating the Eastern European fresh produce market
· an in-depth video-presentation of the Polish market specifics and requirements
The use of the site materials is free if there is a direct and open for search engines hyperlink to a specific publication of the East-Fruit.com website.
