According to the Dutch agency FVF, Poland’s fruit and vegetable exports to Russia dropped by approximately 40% last year, from 976 thousand tonnes to 561 thousand tonnes. Apples were the most affected product.
The total export of fruit and vegetables to Russia in 2014 amounted to over 561.8 thousand tonnes, of which 559.3 thousand tonnes were shipped during the first seven months of the year, before the introduction of the embargo.
This means that, between August and December, only 2.5 thousand tonnes of Polish fruits and vegetables arrived to the Russian market, compared to the 214.7 thousand tonnes shipped in the corresponding months of 2013.
Throughout 2014, Poland exported 448.9 thousand tonnes less fruit and 113.0 thousand tonnes less vegetables to Russia. Apples were the most affected. In 2014, the total export volume for this fruit amounted to 418.0 thousand tonnes, compared with the more than 580 thousand tonnes shipped a year earlier. In the period after the introduction of the embargo, only 949 tonnes were exported, compared to the 125 thousand tonnes of the previous year.
In the first seven months of 2014, fruit exports to Russia amounted to 447.8 thousand tonnes, while vegetable exports reached 111.4 thousand tonnes. Cabbages were the most exported product, followed by mushrooms and tomatoes. Besides apples, other fruits shipped to Russia included pears, strawberries and cherries.