Blog - Agriculture

China and Uzbekistan recorded double-digit growth rates of persimmon export value over the last year. The global exports rose by +18% y-o-y to $695M in 2020. Spain, Azerbaijan, China and Uzbekistan constitute the largest persimmon suppliers worldwide, accounting for 85% of the total export volume. The average persimmon export price spiked by +6.4% y-o-y to $1,091 per tonne in 2020. Russia remains the world’s largest importer of persimmons.

Global decaffeinated coffee exports dropped from $1.6B in 2019 to $1.5B in 2020. Germany remains the world’s largest supplier, accounting for 48% of the total decaffeinated coffee exports in 2020. Last year, Germany saw a decrease in coffee exports, as its major trade partner, the U.S., had reduced the purchases. The average export price for decaffeinated coffee jumped by +5.6% y-o-y to $4,618 per tonne in 2020. The U.S., Spain and the Netherlands continue to lead in global decaffeinated coffee imports. 

Global potato exports dropped from $5.1B in 2019 to $4.3B in 2020. France, the Netherlands and Germany constitute major potato exporters worldwide. In 2020, the average potato export price amounted to $327 per tonne, decreasing by -6.3% y-o-y. Belgium, a country with one of the highest per capita potato consumption figures, remains the world’s largest importer. Over the last year, most importing countries have reduced their potato purchases. By contrast, Belgium, Spain, the U.S., Uzbekistan, Ukraine, the Czech Republic and the UK boosted their imports. 

In 2020, European imports of husked brown rice jumped nearly by +6% y-o-y to 1.1M tonnes, reaching the highest level over the past decade. Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Poland were the largest brown rice importers, constituting more than two-thirds of total imports in the EU. Poland, Belgium and the Netherlands featured the highest growth rates regarding the volume of brown rice purchases among the key importers. Last year, total rice imports in the EU grew by +10% y-o-y to 3.5M tonnes. 

Last year, European pyrethrum and peppermint imports rose by +10.2% y-o-y to $989M. Germany remains the largest pyrethrum and peppermint importer in the EU, accounting for 37% of the total imports. The Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Poland, Spain and France ramped up the volume of purchases from abroad, while the supplies to Germany dropped slightly. The Netherlands emerged as the fastest-growing importer in 2020. The pyrethrum and peppermint import price in the EU grew by +9.2% y-o-y compared to the figures of 2019.

India remains the largest pimenta pepper exporter worldwide, comprising near half of the global exports. Last year, India managed to strengthen its leading position, with pimenta pepper exports skyrocketing to over 500K tonnes, or $1.1B. China was the key importer of Indian pepper, accounting for 32% of the total volume. The average export price for pimenta pepper from India jumped by +16% y-o-y in 2020.

European date imports jumped from 137K tonnes in 2019 to 157K tonnes in 2020. In value terms, imports soared to $437M. France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Belgium constitute the largest date importers in the EU, with a combined 82%-share of the European imports. Last year, the Netherlands featured the most rapid growth rate regarding the import volume in physical terms. In 2020, the date import price in the EU remained relatively unchanged compared to the figures of 2019.

Global plantain imports continue a two-year downward trend, decreasing by -15.1% y-o-y to 958K tonnes in 2020. While El Salvador, the second-largest importer worldwide, reduces the purchases from abroad, American and European imports steadily grow. In physical terms, supplies to the U.S. jumped by +7.6% y-o-y to 406K tonnes. European imports increased by +1.2% y-o-y, reaching 274K tonnes last year. In 2020, the average plantain import price rose slightly by +1.8% y-o-y.

In 2020, global pumpkin imports reached $1.6B, the highest level over the past decade. The U.S. remains the largest importer of pumpkins, with a 37%-share of the total figure. Last year, Canada, the Netherlands and the UK saw the highest spikes in pumpkin purchases from abroad, while supplies to Japan have moderately reduced. In 2020, the average pumpkin import price rose by +20% compared to the previous year. Ukraine, Algeria and Italy constitute the countries with the highest per capita consumption. China, India and the U.S. feature as the largest consuming markets in 2020.