Agriculture, Analytics, Foreign trade , Latvia, Transport

Compared to 623.0 mln lats in the corresponding period of previous year, the imports of agricultural and food products in January – September 2008 at current prices reached 733.7 mln lats (12.9% of total volume of imports). Of which imports value of food products (including alcoholic, non-alcoholic beverages and tobacco products) constituted 369.7 mln lats (339.3 mln lats in January – September 2007).

Trade in agricultural and food products in January – September 2008 by months, thsd lats

Compared to January – September 2007 exports of agricultural and food products (at current prices) in the same period of this year increased faster than imports of these products (exports – by 26.7%, imports – by 17.8%). In January – September 2008 the share of our neighbouring country Lithuania in Latvia exports of food products comprised 24.5%, but share of Estonia — 15.6%, but in imports – 24.8% and 9.5%. In trade with Lithuania exports of these commodities increased by 10.5%, but imports – by 8.8%. However, in trade with Estonia exports decreased by 17.8%, but imports increased by 9.7%.

Compared to January – September 2007 exports of agricultural and food products at current prices in January – September 2008 increased by 26.7% (share in total exports 15.1%), of which the exports of food products, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and tobacco products – by 9.8%.

Exports of main food products in January – September 2008

Different milk products were mainly exported to the EU countries– 83.7% values at current prices:

- milk, cream, other cultured products – 86.5% (to Lithuania – 71.3%, Estonia – 5.5%, Germany – 4.5%), 5.2% of milk, cream and other cultered products were exported to Libya,

- cheese and curd – 77.6%(to Germany – 47.5%, Estonia – 11.0%, Italy – 5.1%). 17.6% of cheese and curd were exported to Russia,

- butter – 94.9% (to Germany – 67.0%, Estonia – 10.9%, Italy – 7.8%).

77.6% of fresh and frozen fish were exported to the EU countries.The main trade partners were Lithuania (22.2%), Estonia (21.6%), and France (16.3%). 15.5% of fresh and frozen fish were exported to the Belarus.

Wheat and meslin were mainly exported to the EU countries – 65.3% (to Denmark – 19.5%, Germany – 17.9%, Spain – 12.8%). 15.4% of meslin was exported to Morocco.

47.6% of prepared or preserved fish were exported to the EU (to Estonia – 23.9%, Lithuania – 6.9%, Germany – 3.8%). But 20.8% of prepared or preserved fish were exported to Russia and 14.9% – to the United States of America, and 5.0% to Belarus.

The main partners in vodka export were the United States of America – 40.0% of the total vodka export, Cyprus – 10.1% and Canada – 9.4%.

57.4% of beer were exported to the EU (to Lithuania – 44.4%, Estonia – 8.7%, Ireland – 2.0%). Noticeable volume of beer was exported to Russia – 39.3%.

The non-alcoholic beverages containing added sugar were mainly exported to the EU countries – 91.8% (to Lithuania – 36.9%, Estonia – 30.4%, Denmark – 11.5%).

The cigarettes were mainly exported to the EU countries – 95.0% (to Lithuania – 58.9%, Estonia – 17.5%, Denmark – 15.4%).

Compared to January – September 2007 the imports of agricultural and food products (at current prices) in January – September 2008 increased by 17.8% (share in total imports 12.9%), of which the imports of food products, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and tobacco products – by 9.0%.

Imports of main food products in January – September 2008

Most of the agricultural and food products (at current prices) – 87.3%, were imported from the EU countries.

The meat of swine was mainly imported from Germany – 25.6%, Poland – 24.6 %, Estonia – 18.8 % and Lithuania – 9.8 %.

The poultry was mainly imported from Lithuania – 25.4%, Netherlands – 23.8%, Poland – 10.7% and Denmark – 10.6%.

Fresh and frozen fish were imported from Sweden – 40.0%, Lithuania – 10.1% and Denmark – 5.7%. 16.9% of fresh and frozen fish were imported from Norway.

Milk, cream and diary products were mainly imported from Lithuania – 33.5%, Estonia – 28.4%, Poland – 17.3% and Germany – 11.9%.

The sugar was mainly imported from Lithuania – 40.3%, Denmark – 32.6%, Poland – 14.7% and Estonia – 6.6%.

Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa were imported from Lithuania – 29.8%, Poland – 14.7%, Estonia – 14.3% and Germany – 8.9%.

Non-alcoholic beverages containing added sugar matter were mainly imported from Estonia – 36.9%, also from Poland – 11.3%, Austria – 10.9% and Lithuania – 10.5%.

Wine of fresh grapes was mainly imported from France – 28.9%, Spain – 18.6%, Italy – 10.9% and Germany – 7.8%.

Beer was mainly imported from Estonia – 30.4 %, Lithuania – 27.5%, less from Czech Republic – 9.0%. Some part of the beer was imported also from Russia – 15.6% of total beer imports.

Cigarettes were mainly imported from Lithuania – 62.5%, Poland – 10.1%, Germany – 6.4% and Finland – 5.8%. 4.5% of cigarettes were imported from Turkey.

Compared to January – September 2007 imports of oil and oil products at natural units in January – September 2008 decreased. But due to the price increase imports of mentioned products (at current prices) increased by 115.7 mln lats or by 28.0%, of which import value of diesel oil – by 91.9 mln lats or by 41.4%, of motor spirit – by 8.9 mln lats or by 6.9%. Imports of residual fuel oils decreased by 928 thsd lats or by 5.2%.

Fuel imports in January – September 2008

The most of the diesel oil (at current prices) was imported from Lithuania – 47.4%, Belarus – 36.4%, Russia – 15.5%, but from Switzerland – 0.7%.

The motor spirits were mostly imported from Lithuania– 93.2%. The rest was imported from Norway – 6.4%, Belarus – 0.3% and Great Britain – 0.03%.

Most of the residual fuel was imported from Russia – 35.7%, Estonia – 31.3% and Belarus – 28.9%, but from the Great Britain – 3.8% and from Kazakhstan- 0.2%.