BRUSSELS: EU members imported 105, 104 tonnes of coconuts from extra-EU countries, valued at pound 146.0 million. Two-thirds (67 percent) of these imports were desiccated coconuts (70, 330 tonnes), while the remaining one-third (33%) consisted of fresh coconuts, either shelled or peeled (20, 328 tonnes), or in the inner shell ‘endocarp’ (14, 447 tonnes), according to figures published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

Imports of coconuts from countries outside of the EU primarily came from 5 extra-EU partners, accounting for 86 percent of all coconut imports. The Philippines was by far the largest supplier, providing 41, 944 tonnes, which represented 40 percent of the total extra-EU coconut imports. This was followed by Indonesia (17, 992 tonnes, 17 percent), Côte d’Ivoire (14, 642 tonnes, 14 percent), Sri Lanka (8, 206 tonnes, 8 percent) and Vietnam (8, 065 tonnes, 8 percent).

The Netherlands stood out as the largest importer of coconuts among EU countries in 2023, importing nearly
half of the EU imports (48, 937 tonnes, or 47 percent of all coconut imports from extra-EU countries). Germany was the second largest importer with 15, 400 tonnes, accounting for 15 percent of all extra-EU coconut imports, followed by Spain (10, 743 tonnes, 10 percent), France (7, 793 tonnes, 7 percent) and Italy (4, 643 tonnes, 4 percent). These 5 EU countries contributed to nearly three quarters (83 percent) of the total EU import of coconuts from countries outside of the EU.

Source: Emirates News Agency