Agricultural exports under pressure

In the first four months of 2015, the value of agricultural exports was 2.7 percent down from the same period last year. The value of exports of dairy, cattle and meat fell substantially. Exports of agricultural products to Russia slumped by nearly 40 percent. Total exports to Russia were reduced by half. In the period 1996-2014, agricultural exports posted a record almost every year as Statistics Netherlands reported today.

Exports livestock products fall sharply

In relative terms, the export value of dairy, cattle and meat has decreased dramatically in the first period of 2015. The export of dairy products was nearly 8.5 percent down in the first four months of 2015 from one year previously and cattle and meat exports fell by more than 4.5 percent. The value of exports of most other agricultural products also diminished, but the value of exports of other food products (e.g. margarine, ketchup, pasta, etc.) and fish rose.

Export value horticultural products also down

In the first four months of 2015, the export value of flowers and plants decreased by 108 million euros (2.8 percent). The export value of flowers amounted to 3.8 billion euros. The export value of vegetables and fruit fell by 2.5 percent (-120 million euros) in the same period, resulting in an export value of 4.6 billion euros over the first 4 months of this year.

Russian boycott

The lower export value of agricultural products is partly caused by the Russian boycott against agricultural products. The value of agricultural exports to Russia in the first four months of 2014 was almost 40 percent below the level of the same period last year. As a result, the export market partly collapsed.

At the moment, the price level for various agricultural products (e.g. milk, cheese and pigs) is also significantly lower than one year previously. This affects the export value of agricultural products.