Top Export Markets 2008
All of the top 20 export markets put in a strong performance in 2008 (indeed you
have to go down as far as the 37th ranked country to find the first negative
change in exports from the UK – Gibraltar being in 37th place, showing a
decline
of
19.0%).
In this section:
Top 20 growth markets in 2008
The highest growth markets in the top 20 included:
France
France, +22.3% to £1,138.4m, led by a 41.8% increase in exports of meat to
£255.3m, and including a 43.9% jump in lamb exports to a value of £181.2m.
Chilled
beef exports were also up 56.4% to £21.2m. Other fast growth value added
products
included:
- 34.7% rise in cakes (£8.7m)
- 30.0% rise in chocolate (£44.6m)
- 24.8% rise in jams/preserves (£3.3m)
- 20.2% rise in cheese (£42.7m), including 29.6% growth in cheddar cheese (£6.3m)
- 15.7% rise in tea (£19.8m)
Offset by loses of 21.2% in sugar confectionery (£7.0m), and 14.2% in prepared
meat/fish (£20.8m) in particular.
The Netherlands
The Netherlands, +35.3% to £776.1m, driven by a 61.3% increase in exports of
meat to £130.1m, and including a rise of 73.7% in chilled beef (£55m). Other
fast
growth value added products included:
- 68.6% rise in prepared meat/fish products (£19.8m)
- 29.6% rise in fruit juice (£2.6m)
- 29.4% rise in cheese (£29.0m), including 31.0% growth in cheddar cheese (£12.5m)
- 28.5% rise in bakery, cakes and biscuits (£30.0m)
- 26.7% rise in sweet biscuits (£6.4m)
Offset by loses of 12.4% in fish/seafood (£51.2m) in particular.
Denmark
Denmark, +69.7% to £220.7m, driven by a 122.9% increase in exports of
fish/seafood and a 180.6% rise in meat (£30.6m). Other fast growth value added
products
included:
- 60.9% rise in prepared meat/fish (£13.6m)
- 38.5% rise in cheese (£9.7m)
- 26.7% rise in bakery, cakes and biscuits (£14.6m)
- 23.4% rise in chocolate (£9.5m)
- 18.6% rise in jams/preserves (£2.1m)
- 13.3% rise in breakfast cereals (£13.3m)
Offset by loses of 16.5% in tea/coffee/spices (£1.3m) in particular.
Portugal
Portugal, +39.7% to £119.2m, driven by a 42.7% rise in commodity cereal exports
to £53.4m. Other growth in value added products included:
- 279% rise in ice cream (£0.9m)
- 161.8% rise in prepared meat/fish (£4.5m)
- 130.4% rise in cheese (£1.6m)
- 103.6% rise in meat (£5.2m)
- 34.9% increase in fish/seafood (£14.1m)
Norway
Norway, +61.1% to £116.8m, driven by a 226.5% rise in fats and oils exports to
£31.7m. Other growth in value added products included:
- 44.3% rise in jams/preserves (£2.7m)
- 42.8% rise in breakfast cereals (£3.0m)
- 37.9% rise in bakery, cakes and biscuits (£5.8m)
Offset by losses of 15.1% in sugar confectionery (£2.1m)
Poland
Poland, +53.6% to £116.4m, boosted primarily by a huge upturn in exports of
wheat from virtually nothing in 2007 to £17.2m in 2008, but also including:
- 1289.4% rise in soft drinks (£2.3m)
- 897.5% rise in breakfast cereals (£1.2m)
- 225.7% rise in bakery, cakes and biscuits (£3.6m)
- 203.7% rise in chocolate (£2.5m)
- 34.0% rise in fish and seafood (£8.7m)
Offset by a 8.3% loss in the overall meat category (£14.8m).
Markets of interest just outside the top 20 include Dubai +21.6% to £51.9m,
Hungary +74.3% to £40.2m, China +13.3% to £38.0m.
UK Exports of Food & Non-alcoholic drinks:
Top 20 Countries - 2007-08 (£ million)
| Rank |
Country |
2007 |
2008 |
% change 2008 vs 2007 |
| 1 |
Ireland |
2,166.9 |
2,446.0 |
12.9 |
| 2 |
France |
930.8 |
1,138.4 |
22.3 |
| 3 |
Netherlands |
573.6 |
776.1 |
35.3 |
| 4 |
Germany |
670.9 |
689.4 |
2.8 |
| 5 |
Spain |
498.6 |
571.9 |
14.7 |
| 6 |
Italy |
366.2 |
426.7 |
16.5 |
| 7 |
Belgium |
312.2 |
357.4 |
14.5 |
| 8 |
United States |
237.7 |
258.1 |
8.6 |
| 9 |
Denmark |
130.1 |
220.7 |
69.7 |
| 10 |
Sweden |
105.6 |
128.7 |
21.7 |
| 11 |
Portugal |
85.3 |
119.2 |
39.7 |
| 12 |
Norway |
72.5 |
116.8 |
61.1 |
| 13 |
Poland |
75.8 |
116.4 |
53.6 |
| 14 |
Canada |
101.8 |
112.5 |
10.5 |
| 15 |
Russia |
96.9 |
100.0 |
3.2 |
| 16 |
Greece |
76.4 |
86.2 |
12.8 |
| 17 |
Japan |
71.7 |
86.1 |
20.0 |
| 18 |
Australia |
60.0 |
68.8 |
14.8 |
| 19 |
Saudi Arabia |
57.2 |
66.6 |
16.3 |
| 20 |
Nigeria |
38.1 |
58.3 |
53.1 |
Source: Leatherhead Food International
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Fastest growing markets
All of exports markets worth above £5m (and excluding those dominated by
commodity trading), the fastest growing in 2008 included:
- Bulgaria (up 160.6% to £5.5m, including an 81.5% rise in exports of prepared
foods, a 302.2% rise in bakery/biscuits/cake exports, and a 1829.2% rise in
meat
exports).
- Hungary (up 74.3% to £40.2m, including 180.1% growth in prepared foods, 44.4%
growth in dairy exports, and 232.8% growth in soft drink exports)
- Croatia (up 72.4% to £6.4m, including a 57.7% growth in exports of prepared
foods and 152.2% growth in chocolate exports).
UK Exports of Food & Non-alcoholic drinks:
Fastest Growing in 2008 (£ million)
| Country |
2007 |
2008 |
% change 2008 vs 2007 |
| Bulgaria |
2.1 |
5.5 |
160.6 |
| Hungary |
23.1 |
40.2 |
74.3 |
| Croatia |
3.7 |
6.4 |
72.4 |
| Denmark |
130.1 |
220.7 |
69.7 |
| Norway |
72.5 |
116.8 |
61.1 |
| Abu Dhabi (U.A.E) |
4.2 |
6.7 |
60.5 |
| Vietnam |
7.7 |
12.1 |
56.5 |
| Poland |
75.8 |
116.4 |
53.6 |
| Nigeria |
38.1 |
58.3 |
53.1 |
| Jordan |
5.8 |
8.9 |
52.8 |
| Latvia |
5.7 |
8.6 |
51.0 |
| Lebanon |
9.7 |
14.6 |
50.6 |
| Slovakia |
7.9 |
11.5 |
45.2 |
| Sharjah etc (U. A.E) |
11.6 |
16.8 |
45.0 |
| Portugal |
85.3 |
119.2 |
39.7 |
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More information
Research carried out by Leatherhead Food International for the Food and Drink
Federation (June 2009)
Last reviewed: 03 Jun 2009