Food for thought: European, US producers finding success further afield

AMSTERDAM – In a snapshot of food sector performance in Europe and the United States, trade credit insurer Atradius says food exports clearly play an essential role in overall profitability, sometimes compensating for les positive results in the home market.

A surprise in the survey, Atradius says, is that the USA, often harshly criticised as the originator of fast food outlets, is a success story in the organic food sector, especially organic fruit and vegetables.

Growth in food exports from Europe is often most marked by demands from other regions. Dutch beer producers have seen their best export results in Africa, Latin America and Asia Pacific. And while most Polish food exports still go to EU member States, Poland is seeing significant export growth in markets such as China and Saudi Arabia.

For Denmark as well, China is now a key export market. Brazil, however, is experiencing export problems because of the current embargo of its meat products by several non-European countries.

Belgium, the report says, continues to focus exports on its immediate neighbours, but it is finding real growth opportunities further afield – in the US, Japan and the BRIC nations, where sales of Belgian chocolate and beer are on the rise. www.atradius.com.au (ATI).