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The EU agri-food sector increased its positive trade balance in the first eight months of 2026, with a cumulative surplus of €34.7 billion, €4.1 billion higher than the same period in 2025. Cumulative exports for January–August totalled €157.7 billion, broadly stable year-on-year, as value increases across several product categories offset lower exports of olive oil, pig meat and cocoa products.
Exports to Türkiye increased by €320 million (+8%), mainly due to beef and veal shipments, while exports to India rose by €253 million (+29%), driven largely by sunflower oil. Exports to Gulf countries recovered to average levels in August following earlier disruption. Among product categories, worldwide exports of spirits and liqueurs rose by €583 million (+11%). By contrast, exports of coffee, tea, cocoa and spices fell by €1.4 billion (-16%).
The main export reduction in January-August 2026 was to the US (- 6%, - EUR 1.2 billion). This follows high export levels in the first quarter of 2025 with potential frontloading ahead of the announced US tariffs.
The second largest export reduction was to the UK (-2%, - EUR 887 million) with decreases in cocoa products (-54%, due to falling prices), pigmeat (-13%) and cereals (-25%, due to lower volumes).
Exports to Japan also decreased (-11%, - EUR 567 million), driven by lower pigmeat volumes, following the African Swine Fever outbreak in Spain in November 2025, and lower prices of tobacco.
EU exports of pigmeat decreased by EUR 1.1 billion (-13%) mostly due to lower prices and falling volumes to China, Japan, the Philippines and the UK.
Cumulative imports stood at €122.9 billion, down €4.5 billion (4%) year-on-year. The decrease was due largely to a fall in import values from major cocoa-producing countries as cocoa prices continue to fall, with imports from Côte d’Ivoire decreasing by €1.4 billion (-22%), while those from Cameroon and Nigeria fell by 46% and 47%, respectively. Among product categories, imports of coffee, tea, cocoa and spices fell by €5.5 billion (-19%). By contrast, imports of fruit and nuts increased by €825 million (+4%), while imports of non-edible products for technical use and margarine and other oils and fats also recorded increases.
October 29, 2026/ European Commission/ European Union.
https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu
