Tomato Market in the Middle East Posted Solid Gains Over the Last Decade

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Tomato Market in the Middle East Posted Solid Gains Over the Last Decade

August 21st, 2020 IndexBox Leave a comment

IndexBox has just published a new report: ‘Middle East – Tomatoes – Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights’. Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

The Middle Eastern tomato market declined to $15.9B in 2019, which is down by -13.6% against the previous year. This figure reflects the total revenues of producers and importers (excluding logistics costs, retail marketing costs, and retailers’ margins, which will be included in the final consumer price). In general, consumption saw a relatively flat trend pattern. The pace of growth appeared the most rapid in 2017 with an increase of 21% year-to-year. As a result, consumption attained a peak level of $19.8B. From 2018 to 2019, the growth of the market failed to regain momentum.

Consumption by Country

The countries with the highest volumes of tomato consumption in 2019 were Turkey (12M tonnes), Iran (6.7M tonnes), and the Syrian Arab Republic (651K tonnes), together accounting for 86% of total consumption. These countries were followed by Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Israel, which together accounted for a further 6.6%.

From 2013 to 2019, the biggest increases were in Jordan, while tomato consumption for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

In value terms, Turkey ($7.8B), Iran ($5.3B) and Israel ($501M) constituted the countries with the highest levels of market value in 2019, with a combined 86% share of the total market. Jordan, the Syrian Arab Republic, and Saudi Arabia lagged somewhat behind, together comprising a further 5.1%.

The countries with the highest levels of tomato per capita consumption in 2019 were Turkey (143 kg per person), Iran (80 kg per person), and Jordan (59 kg per person).

From 2013 to 2019, the biggest increases were in Jordan, while tomato per capita consumption for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Production in the Middle East

Tomato production was estimated at 23M tonnes in 2019, remaining stable against the year before. In general, production continues to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern. The pace of growth appeared the most rapid in 2017 when the production volume increased by 2.3% against the previous year. Over the period under review, production reached the peak volume in 2019. The generally positive trend in terms output was largely conditioned by a relatively flat trend pattern of the harvested area and a pronounced increase in yield figures.

Production by Country

The countries with the highest volumes of tomato production in 2019 were Turkey (12M tonnes), Iran (6.7M tonnes), and Jordan (864K tonnes), together accounting for 89% of total production. These countries were followed by the Syrian Arab Republic and Israel, which together accounted for a further 4.3%.

From 2013 to 2019, the most notable rate of growth in terms of tomato production, amongst the key producing countries, was attained by the Syrian Arab Republic, while tomato production for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Harvested Area in the Middle East

In 2019, the total area harvested in terms of tomatoes production in the Middle East reduced slightly to 413K ha, stabilizing at the previous year’s figure. Over the period under review, the harvested area dedicated to tomato production attained the maximum at 465K ha in 2013; however, from 2014 to 2019, the harvested area stood at a somewhat lower figure.

Yield in the Middle East

The average tomato yield rose to 54 tonnes per ha in 2019, growing by 2% against 2018. The yield figure increased at an average annual rate of +2.6% from 2013 to 2019; the trend pattern remained relatively stable, with only minor fluctuations in certain years. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2014 when the yield increased by 6.3% year-to-year. Over the period under review, the tomato yield hit record highs in 2019 and is expected to retain growth in years to come.

Exports in the Middle East

In 2019, overseas shipments of tomatoes increased by 19% to 883K tonnes, rising for the second year in a row after four years of decline. Over the period under review, exports, however, continue to indicate a deep downturn. Over the period under review, exports reached a maximum of 1.3M tonnes in 2013; however, from 2014 to 2019, exports remained at a lower figure. In value terms, tomato exports shrank to $482M (IndexBox estimates) in 2019.

Exports by Country

Turkey was the key exporting country with an export of about 535K tonnes, which reached 61% of total exports. It was distantly followed by Jordan (240K tonnes), making up a 27% share of total exports. The following exporters – Oman (30K tonnes), Iran (28K tonnes), and the Syrian Arab Republic (26K tonnes) – each finished at a 9.6% share of total exports.

From 2013 to 2019, the average annual rates of growth with regard to tomato exports from Turkey stood at +1.7%. At the same time, Iran (+23.7%) and Oman (+2.3%) displayed positive paces of growth. Moreover, Iran emerged as the fastest-growing exporter exported in the Middle East, with a CAGR of +23.7% from 2013-2019. By contrast, Jordan (-14.4%) and the Syrian Arab Republic (-22.8%) illustrated a downward trend over the same period. Turkey (+5.9 p.p.) and Iran (+2.3 p.p.) significantly strengthened its position in terms of the total exports, while the Syrian Arab Republic and Jordan saw its share reduced by -10.9% and -42.1% from 2013 to 2019, respectively. The shares of the other countries remained relatively stable throughout the analyzed period.

In value terms, Turkey ($303M) remains the largest tomato supplier in the Middle East, comprising 63% of total exports. The second position in the ranking was occupied by Jordan ($120M), with a 25% share of total exports. It was followed by Iran, with a 5.2% share.

In Turkey, tomato exports shrank by an average annual rate of -4.2% over the period from 2013-2019. The remaining exporting countries recorded the following average annual rates of export growth: Jordan (-14.9% per year) and Iran (+45.8% per year).

Export Prices by Country

The tomato export price in the Middle East stood at $546 per tonne in 2019, which is down by -28.1% against the previous year. In general, the export price recorded a pronounced decrease. The growth pace was the most rapid in 2017 an increase of 23% year-to-year. As a result, the export price reached a peak level of $791 per tonne. From 2018 to 2019, the growth in terms of the export prices remained at a somewhat lower figure.

Prices varied noticeably by the country of origin; the country with the highest price was Iran ($874 per tonne), while Oman ($95 per tonne) was amongst the lowest.

From 2013 to 2019, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by Iran, while the other leaders experienced mixed trends in the export price figures.

Source: IndexBox AI Platform

Archives, Global Trade Daily, News

Despite the Pandemic, the Global Plantain Market is to Grow Steadily, Driven by Rising Population in Africa

August 19th, 2020 IndexBox Leave a comment

IndexBox has just published a new report: ‘World – Plantains – Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights’. Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

Rising Population in Africa to Buoy Market Growth

The global plantain market rose to $31.9B in 2019 (IndexBox estimates), surging by 2.6% against the previous year. This figure reflects the total revenues of producers and importers (excluding logistics costs, retail marketing costs, and retailers’ margins, which will be included in the final consumer price). The market value increased at an average annual rate of +3.5% from 2013 to 2019; the trend pattern remained relatively stable, with only minor fluctuations throughout the analyzed period. The pace of growth appeared the most rapid in 2014 with an increase of 6.9% y-o-y. Global consumption peaked in 2019 and is likely to see steady growth in the near future.

In physical terms, global plantain consumption experienced a similar trend pattern, increasing from 37M tonnes in 2013 to approx. 43M tonnes in 2019. Over the last two years, the market rebounded after a slight contraction of 2016 which was caused by the escalation of civil armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo which is the largest plantain consuming country.

The countries with the highest volumes of plantain consumption in 2019 were the Democratic Republic of the Congo (5.7M tonnes), Cameroon (5.2M tonnes), and Ghana (4.2M tonnes), together comprising 36% of global consumption.

In value terms, the largest plantain markets worldwide were the Democratic Republic of the Congo ($5.4B), Cameroon ($4.5B), and Nigeria ($2.7B), together accounting for 39% of the global market. Peru, Myanmar, Colombia, the Philippines, Uganda, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba lagged somewhat behind, together accounting for a further 40%.

The countries with the highest levels of plantain per capita consumption in 2019 were Cameroon (205 kg per person), Ghana (141 kg per person), and the Dominican Republic (94 kg per person).

Plantains remain a staple food in African countries incl. those with low incomes, as their population has limited opportunities to opt for new alternatives in their local cuisine. Rising population and incomes in Africa, therefore, constitute major fundamentals behind the growth of the plantain market. Similar factors are relevant for some Latin American and Asian countries where plantains are also consumed at a noticeable scale.

In early 2020, the global economy entered a period of the crisis caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quarantine measures implemented worldwide to battle the spread of the virus hamper economic growth heavily throughout the world and disrupt the international supply chains. The result will be a drop in GDP which is to decrease consumer incomes.

Plantains, however, constitute a staple food, the consumption of which is rather insensitive to crisis periods. Given the fact that plantains are largely consumed in countries with low incomes and where they are only affordable mass food, it is not expected that the COVID crisis will lead to a deep decrease in plantain consumption. It is more likely that people would cut the consumption of more expensive food items on the backdrop of lower incomes. In the medium term, therefore, population growth will continue to drive growth in demand for plantains.

Accordingly, the plantain market is expected to continue an upward consumption trend, increasing with an anticipated CAGR of +2.4% for the period from 2019 to 2030, which is projected to bring the market volume to 55M tonnes by the end of 2030.

The U.S. Remains the Largest Importer of Plantains

In 2019, global imports of plantains increased by 2.3% to 1.3M tonnes, rising for the second year in a row after two years of decline. The total import volume increased at an average annual rate of +1.7% over the period from 2013 to 2019; the trend pattern remained relatively stable, with only minor fluctuations throughout the analyzed period. The growth pace was the most rapid in 2015 with an increase of 7.9% against the previous year. Global imports peaked in 2019 and are likely to continue growing in the immediate term.

In value terms, plantain imports stood at $855M (IndexBox estimates) in 2019. The total import value increased at an average annual rate of +2.2% from 2013 to 2019; the trend pattern remained relatively stable, with somewhat noticeable fluctuations throughout the analyzed period. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2015 with an increase of 8.7% against the previous year. Over the period under review, global imports reached the maximum in 2019 and are expected to retain growth in years to come.

Imports by Country

The U.S. represented the key importing country with an import of about 359K tonnes, which amounted to 27% of total imports. Saudi Arabia (145K tonnes) held an 11% share (based on tonnes) of total imports, which put it in second place, followed by South Africa (8.3%), the Netherlands (5.3%), and Romania (5.1%). The following importers – the UK (52K tonnes), El Salvador (44K tonnes), the United Arab Emirates (42K tonnes), Belgium (33K tonnes), Jordan (32K tonnes), Spain (29K tonnes) and Macedonia (26K tonnes) – together made up 19% of total imports.

From 2013 to 2019, average annual rates of growth with regard to plantain imports into the U.S. stood at +2.6%. At the same time, the United Arab Emirates (+24.7%), the Netherlands (+17.2%), the UK (+10.2%), Macedonia (+9.3%), Romania (+6.4%), South Africa (+5.6%), Saudi Arabia (+4.1%) and Jordan (+1.4%) displayed positive paces of growth. Moreover, the United Arab Emirates emerged as the fastest-growing importer imported in the world, with a CAGR of +24.7% from 2013-2019. By contrast, El Salvador (-7.2%), Spain (-7.3%) and Belgium (-8.4%) illustrated a downward trend over the same period.

In value terms, the U.S. ($230M) constitutes the largest market for imported plantains worldwide, comprising 27% of global imports. The second position in the ranking was occupied by Saudi Arabia ($99M), with a 12% share of global imports. It was followed by the Netherlands, with an 8.6% share.

From 2013 to 2019, the average annual growth rate of value in the U.S. stood at +4.9%. The remaining importing countries recorded the following average annual rates of import growth: Saudi Arabia (+9.1% per year) and the Netherlands (+16.7% per year).

Import Prices by Country

In 2019, the average plantain import price amounted to $634 per tonne, almost unchanged from the previous year. In general, the import price recorded a relatively flat trend pattern. The pace of growth appeared the most rapid in 2017 when the average import price increased by 8.1% year-to-year. As a result, import price attained the peak level of $679 per tonne. From 2018 to 2019, the growth in terms of the average import prices failed to regain the momentum.

Prices varied noticeably by the country of destination; the country with the highest price was the Netherlands ($1,032 per tonne), while El Salvador ($206 per tonne) was amongst the lowest.

From 2013 to 2019, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by El Salvador, while the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Source: IndexBox AI Platform

Archives, Global Trade Daily, Imports/Exports

Asia’s Beef Market 2020 – Positive Outlook for China, Negative Expectations for India

August 9th, 2020 IndexBox Leave a comment

IndexBox has just published a new report: ‘Asia – Beef (Cattle Meat) – Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights’. Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

The coronavirus pandemic continues to negatively impact the Asian beef market, holding back production and international trade. However, it can be predicted that the strength of the impact will depend on how quickly countries return to normalcy. In China, which was the first to recover from the pandemic, positive dynamics are expected in the second half of the year. In contrast, India, the second-largest beef producer after China, will face significant losses in production and exports.

The expected increase in China’s beef production is driven by rising cattle herds, particularly on large farms, and strong domestic demand to offset the ongoing pork shortage. In addition, China will continue to increase its imports, fueled by new accreditations granted to meatpacking plants in Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, as well as new trade agreements with these countries.

In India, cattle production may be reduced due to a pandemic shutdown, especially since collection of animals is usually carried out in the form of home visits. Given that most of the production is destined for foreign markets, slowing economic growth in many countries could further undermine the Indian cattle sector.

Import growth is likely to slow in almost all other Asian markets, as widespread recession restricts consumption in middle- and low-income households, while restrictions and physical distancing reduce restaurant turnover, dampening demand for high-quality meat products.

Beef Consumption by Country in Asia

China (7.5M tonnes) continues to be the largest cattle meat market in Asia, accounting for 35% of the total volume. Moreover, beef consumption in China exceeded the figures recorded by the second-largest consumer, Pakistan (1.9M tonnes), fourfold. India (1.5M tonnes) ranked third in terms of total consumption with a 7.1% share.

From 2009 to 2019, the average annual growth rate of beef consumption in Сhina was +1.5%. Pakistan enjoys the highest growth (+3.2% per year), while India suffers from decreasing demand (-2.8% per year).

In value terms, China ($93.3B) led the market, alone. The second position in the ranking was occupied by Turkey ($7.5B). It was followed by Pakistan.

The countries with the highest levels of beef per capita consumption in 2019 were Uzbekistan (29 kg per person), Kazakhstan (27 kg per person), and South Korea (14 kg per person).

From 2009 to 2019, the biggest increases were in Turkey, while beef per capita consumption for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Production in Asia

In 2019, Asia’s production of cattle meat expanded modestly to 19M tonnes, with an increase of 2% on the previous year’s figure. The total output volume increased at an average annual rate of +1.7% from 2009 to 2019; the trend pattern remained consistent, with only minor fluctuations throughout the analyzed period. The pace of growth appeared the most rapid in 2010 when the production volume increased by 3.8% y-o-y. Over the period under review, production reached the peak volume in 2019 and is likely to continue growing in the immediate term. The generally positive trend in terms output was largely conditioned by a mild increase in the number of producing animals and a relatively flat trend pattern in yield figures.

Production by Country in Asia

China (6.5M tonnes) is the largest cattle meat producer in the region, accounting for 34% of the total output. Moreover, beef production in China exceeded the figures recorded by the second-largest producer, India (2.6M tonnes), twofold. Pakistan (2M tonnes) ranked third in terms of total production with an 11% share.

In China, beef production was relatively stable over the past decade. The remaining producing countries recorded the following average annual rates of production growth: India (+0.6% per year) and Pakistan (+3.4% per year).

Producing Animals in Asia

In 2019, the number of animals slaughtered for beef production in Asia reached 116M heads, standing approx. at 2018. This number increased at an average annual rate of +1.1% from 2009 to 2019. The pace of growth appeared the most rapid in 2010 when the number of producing animals increased by 2.9% year-to-year. Over the period under review, this number hit record highs in 2019 and is expected to retain growth in the near future.

Exports in Asia

In 2019, the amount of cattle meat exported in Asia totaled 1.3M tonnes, approximately equating 2018. In general, exports continue to indicate a prominent expansion. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2011 when exports increased by 67% against the previous year. Over the period under review, exports hit record highs at 1.7M tonnes in 2013; however, from 2014 to 2019, exports remained at a lower figure.

In value terms, beef exports declined to $4.1B (IndexBox estimates) in 2019.

Exports by Country

India dominates beef trade, accounting for 1.1M tonnes, which was near 85% of total Asian exports in 2019. Hong Kong (84K tonnes) held a 6.6% share (based on tonnes) of total exports, which put it in second place, followed by Pakistan (4.5%).

From 2009 to 2019, the average annual rates of growth with regard to beef exports from India stood at +9.5%. At the same time, Pakistan (+9.8%) and Hong Kong (+8.1%) displayed positive paces of growth. Moreover, Pakistan emerged as the fastest-growing exporter exported in Asia, with a CAGR of +9.8% from 2009-2019. While the share of India (+51 p.p.), Hong Kong (+3.6 p.p.) and Pakistan (+2.8 p.p.) increased significantly, the shares of the other countries remained relatively stable throughout the analyzed period.

In value terms, India ($3.1B) remains the largest beef supplier in Asia, comprising 77% of total exports. The second position in the ranking was occupied by Hong Kong ($289M), with a 7.1% share of total exports.

In India, beef exports expanded at an average annual rate of +12.0% over the period from 2009-2019. The remaining exporting countries recorded the following average annual rates of export growth: Hong Kong (+10.9% per year) and Pakistan (+15.2% per year).

Export Prices by Country

The beef export price in Asia stood at $3,158 per tonne in 2019, falling by -4.5% against the previous year. Over the period from 2009 to 2019, it increased at an average annual rate of +2.6%. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2011 when the export price increased by 21% year-to-year. The level of export peaked at $3,306 per tonne in 2018 and then shrank in the following year.

Average prices varied somewhat amongst the major exporting countries. In 2019, the country with the highest price was Pakistan ($3,815 per tonne), while India ($2,831 per tonne) was amongst the lowest.

From 2009 to 2019, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by Pakistan, while the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Imports in Asia

In 2019, purchases abroad of cattle meat decreased by -12.7% to 3.9M tonnes for the first time since 2008, thus ending a ten-year rising trend.

In value terms, beef imports contracted to $19.9B (IndexBox estimates) in 2019. In general, imports, however, enjoyed prominent growth. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2010 when imports increased by 22% y-o-y. Over the period under review, imports attained the maximum at $21.3B in 2018 and then shrank in the following year.

Imports by Country

In 2019, China (1.1M tonnes), distantly followed by Japan (617K tonnes), South Korea (444K tonnes), and Hong Kong (365K tonnes) were the major importers of cattle meat, together committing 63% of total imports. The following importers – Malaysia (147K tonnes), Indonesia (141K tonnes), Taiwan (137K tonnes), the United Arab Emirates (133K tonnes), the Philippines (125K tonnes), Iran (119K tonnes), Israel (114K tonnes) and Saudi Arabia (86K tonnes) – together made up 25% of total imports.

From 2009 to 2019, the biggest increases were in China, while purchases for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

In value terms, the largest beef importing markets in Asia were China ($5B), Japan ($3.5B), and South Korea ($2.9B), with a combined 57% share of total imports.

Import Prices by Country

The beef import price in Asia stood at $5,039 per tonne in 2019, rising by 6.9% against the previous year.

Prices varied noticeably by the country of destination; the country with the highest price was Taiwan ($7,898 per tonne), while Malaysia ($3,172 per tonne) was amongst the lowest.

From 2009 to 2019, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by South Korea, while the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Source: IndexBox AI Platform

Archives, Global Trade Daily, Imports/Exports

The European Pasta Market Calms Down after the Strike of the Pandemic

August 9th, 2020 IndexBox Leave a comment

IndexBox has just published a new report: ‘EU – Uncooked Pasta – Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends And Insights’. Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

The Hit of the Pandemic in Early 2020: Hype in Retail Demand against Disrupted Supply Chains

In 2019, the EU uncooked pasta market decreased by -2.5% to $5.2B (IndexBox estimates) for the first time since 2016, thus ending a two-year rising trend. Over the period under review, consumption, however, showed a relatively flat trend pattern. The growth pace was the most rapid in 2018 with an increase of 7% against the previous year. As a result, consumption attained a peak level of $5.3B, and then reduced slightly in the following year.

Population growth and disposable income growth remain the main market drivers, as well as rising international tourism. These factors, taking into account the general dynamics of the country’s economy, determine the development of the HoReCa sector, which also contributes to the growth of the market.

Until 2020, the European economy has been developing steadily for five years, although at a slower pace than in the previous decade. The slowdown in European economic growth was caused by a slowdown in the world’s economy, increased political uncertainty in the world, and trade wars between the United States and China. According to the World Bank outlook from January 2020, the European economy was expected to pick up the growth momentum and increase by from +2.5% to +2.7% per year in the medium term.

In early 2020, however, the European economy entered a period of the crisis caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to battle the spread of the virus, most countries in the world implemented quarantine measures that put on halt production and transport activity. The result will be a drop in GDP relative to previous years and a sharp fall in the demand for oil, which led to extremely low prices and heavy oil production cuts. The combination of those factors disrupts economic growth heavily throughout the world, increases unemployment, and lowers consumer spending. The European uncooked pasta market also faces challenges due to the pandemic, however, the market impact varies widely from the consumer level and through the supply chain.

Against the backdrop of the introduction of quarantine restrictions which lead to the closure of production, a halt in transport activity, and a drop in incomes, over March-April of 2020 many countries experienced a booming consumer demand for long-term storage food products, including pasta. This is quite typical: during any crisis, consumers buy more non-perishable products for the future, which applies primarily to cereals and pasta.

The closure of HoReCa threatens pasta suppliers with a loss of sales and forces them to seek new sales channels; however, the drop in demand from restaurants and cafes is to be partially offset by a spike in retail sales. With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, there was an overwhelming demand for long-term essentials including cereals and pasta for a couple of months. Accordingly, increased demand for retail packaging against lower demand for bulk packages for HoReCa. On the other hand, as consumers buy more pasta for the future, there is an increasing need for retail packaging of a larger size.

Quarantine measures and the risk of mass illness of employees can lead to a temporary reduction in pasta production. In addition, a major COVID-related risk comes from the disruption of established international supply chains between durum wheat growers, importers, pasta producers, distributors, and retailers due to asynchronous quarantine measures and restricted transport activity. Problems with the export of paste due to asynchronous transport and cross-border restrictions can lead to overstocking of manufacturers’ warehouses, while the rush demand in retail in case of problems with transport and border crossings can lead to interruptions in supply. On the other hand, grain cultivation is less affected by the virus than the production of fruits and vegetables due to its high mechanization and less dependence on immigrant workers. This will contribute to the stability of the supply of durum wheat for the production of pasta.

With the weakening of quarantine measures and the creation of certain stocks, consumer demand is gradually normalizing, and the market is looking for a new balance of supply and demand. As shown below, gradual stabilization in pasta production and re-establishing cross-border supplies show a sign for the market is gradually finding the ‘new normality’.

Countries which Increased Their Local Output amid the Temporary Disruption of International Supply Chains Are Now Likely to Return to the Italian Pasta

In 2019, the amount of uncooked pasta produced in the European Union rose slightly to 5.5M tonnes, picking up by 1.8% compared with 2018 (IndexBox estimates). The total output volume increased at an average annual rate of +1.6% over the period from 2012 to 2019; the trend pattern remained relatively stable, with somewhat noticeable fluctuations being observed in certain years. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2015 with an increase of 4% against the previous year. The volume of production peaked in 2019 and is expected to retain growth in the immediate term.

Italy (3.5M tonnes) remains the largest uncooked pasta producing country in the European Union, comprising approx. 64% of the total volume. Moreover, uncooked pasta production in Italy exceeded the figures recorded by the second-largest producer, Spain (344K tonnes), tenfold. The third position in this ranking was occupied by Poland (268K tonnes), with a 4.9% share.

From 2012 to 2019, the average annual rate of growth in terms of volume in Italy amounted to +1.9%. The remaining producing countries recorded the following average annual rates of production growth: Spain (+3.3% per year) and Poland (+4.3% per year).

Italy also dominates uncooked pasta exports structure, recording 2M tonnes, which was near 76% of total exports in 2019. It was distantly followed by Spain (125K tonnes), committing a 4.9% share of total exports. Belgium (109K tonnes), Greece (61K tonnes), Germany (55K tonnes) and France (39K tonnes) took a little share of total exports.

On the other hand, the largest uncooked pasta importing markets (in value terms) in the European Union were Germany ($421M), France ($366M) and the UK ($205M), together accounting for 53% of total imports. The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Denmark lagged somewhat behind, together comprising a further 34%.

At the beginning of 2020, certain shifts occurred in key market indicators. Thus, the coronavirus pandemic led to a strong increase in production in the pasta industry, which was caused by the rush of consumer demand for long-term storage products against the background of quarantine restrictions. At the same time, in Germany, France, and Spain, which constitute large importers of pasta, production increased even more than in Italy, due to a possible violation of the supply chain due to border closures and transport restrictions.

At the same time, in May, there was a decrease in production volumes in these countries, which indicates the stabilization of demand against the backdrop of easing quarantine restrictions and re-establishing the supply chains. If this trend continues, a significant decrease in imports from Italy is unlikely, and the most likely scenario is a gradual return to the usual supply chains and a gradual stabilization of the market.

The COVID Pandemic Did Not Bull the Producer Prices, Therefore the Pasta Prices in Major Consuming Countries Balance Out as the Rush in Demand Wanes

Against the background of production growth, at the beginning of 2020, there is a slight increase in the prices of pasta producers, but there are no extraordinary rates of price growth. Thus, producer prices rise slightly in Germany; in Italy and Spain, the prices show a stabilization sign after a slight increase in February-April, and in France, they even decline after rising in March-April.

Thus, the crisis of the COVID pandemic does not yet lead to a significant increase in prices, and the market is trying to find a new balance after the rush in March-April and the resulting increase in pasta production. Further price dynamics will depend on the situation with durum wheat supplies and the degree of threat of a new wave of quarantine restrictions. However, since some transport and cross-border restrictions still remain, local small price fluctuations are possible due to the current supply and demand conditions.

As for the prices of durum wheat, they have also been growing since the beginning of the year in almost all of the supplying countries. The only exception is Canada, where prices remained near the same level until April. Further price dynamics are subject to significant uncertainty due to the ongoing pandemic and the threat of worsening weather conditions and abnormal droughts, especially in Eastern Europe. If price increases continue, this will create an additional burden on pasta producers and force them to raise prices or lower margins in order to save consumers.

As for consumer prices for pasta products, their dynamics are largely determined by the same circumstances as the dynamics of production. Thus, with the onset of the pandemic in March-April, there has been a sharp increase in consumer prices for pasta, although producer prices during this period grew much less pronouncedly. This was due to the rush of demand for long-term retail products against the backdrop of strict quarantine restrictions, which, together with disruptions in supply chains, led to temporary local shortages of products. In May-June, as the situation improves and quarantine measures gradually soften, consumer prices stabilized or even decline.

Thus, the factor of consumer excitement is gradually disappearing, and in the future a stabilization or even some decrease in prices can be expected against the background of increased production, finding a new balance of demand and supply. However, due to the fact that some restrictions on transport activity persist, small price fluctuations in local markets due to disruptions in the supply chain are also possible.

Source: IndexBox AI Platform

Archives, EU Trade, Global Trade Daily, News

European Pork Production is Supported by Strong Demand from China

July 28th, 2020 IndexBox Leave a comment

IndexBox has just published a new report: ‘EU – Pork (Meat Of Swine) – Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights’. Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

Despite the decline in pork consumption in the EU and the UK, domestic producers may receive support due to growing demand from China.

The European Union and the UK together are the largest pork supplier to the global market, and the second-largest consumer in the world, only China is ahead. On the contrary, producers in China are facing serious problems due to the forced reduction in animal numbers in the wake of the African swine fever epidemic.

According to FAO forecasts, pork production in China may fall to 34 million tonnes in 2020, which is almost 17 percent lower than in 2018. The shortage of products in the local market is offset by growing supplies, mainly from Europe and Latin America, in particular Brazil. The United States, the world’s second-largest pork exporter, is losing the Chinese market as a result of a protracted trade war with Beijing, which imposed a 72 percent tariff on US pork in 2019.

In 2020, Europeans can enjoy not only an increase in supplies to China but also rising world prices for pork. This is especially important when the borders for export to Russia are closed due to mutual sanctions. After four years, this market can be considered lost for the Europeans due to the rapidly growing production of Russian farmers.

Pork Production in the EU and the UK

In 2019, pork production in the European Union reached 24M tonnes and is likely to see steady growth in years to come. The countries with the highest volumes of pork production in 2019 were Germany (5.4M tonnes), Spain (4.6M tonnes), and France (2.2M tonnes), with a combined 53% share of total production.

From 2009 to 2019, the biggest increases were in Spain, while pork production for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Producing Animals

In 2019, approx. 245M heads of animals slaughtered for pork production in the European Union; a decrease of 2% on 2018 figures. Overall, the number of producing animals continues to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern. The pace of growth was the most pronounced in 2015 when the number of producing animals increased by 2% year-to-year.

Yield

In 2019, the average yield of pork in the European Union amounted to 93 kg per head, approximately mirroring the year before. Over the period under review, the yield continues to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2015 with an increase of 1.8% year-to-year. The level of yield peaked in 2019 and is expected to retain growth in the immediate term.