Romania earned over 6.6 billion euros from vegetable product exports last year, especially cereals, which was 1.7% less than the previous year

In 2023, vegetable product exports experienced a decrease of over 10%, representing only 7.1% of the total export value.

This significant decline is largely due to the decrease in cereal exports, while deliveries of milling and bakery products have increased.

Last year, sales of vegetable products abroad totaled 6.6 billion euros, a decrease of 1.7% compared to the previous year. In 2022, vegetable exports accounted for 7.3% of total exports, compared to 7.1% in 2023, according to Economica’s analysis based on INS data.

This is the first year after the pandemic that Romania’s vegetable product exports have declined consecutively, while in 2021 they increased by 61.9%, and in 2022 by 24.2%.

Before the pandemic, in 2019, the value of vegetable product exports increased by 8.1%, representing an important sector in the economy.

Vegetable products traditionally rank fourth in Romania’s export structure, after electrical equipment, means of transport, and metals, contributing between 5 and 7% of the total export value.

Cereal exports, which accounted for 62.2% of total vegetable exports, decreased by 4.1% in 2023, to 4.1 billion euros. In contrast, exports of seeds and fruits, industrial and medicinal plants increased by 3%, while vegetable exports decreased by 8.7%.

In the milling and bakery product sector, exports increased by 30.7%, and those of coffee, tea, and spices recorded a growth of 18.5%.

Romania exported vegetable products worth over 6.6 billion euros, with over 3.3 billion euros to EU member states, with a trade surplus in these products.