EU agri-food sector show resilience

short-term outlook report for EU agricultural markets.

This regular publication presents a sector-by-sector overview of the latest tendencies and further prospects for agri-food markets. The outbreak of the coronavirus brings about unprecedented challenges for the EU agri-food sector. The sector responds and adapts with efficiency to the new circumstances, supported by measures taken by the European Commission. Due to the confinement measures implemented in the EU and across the world, food demand has rapidly changed since the beginning of the crisis. Stockpiling behaviour as well as the closure of restaurants, bars and hotels is having a direct impact on agri-food producers. On the one hand, staple food such as pasta, rice, flour, canned fruit and vegetables have been in higher demand, benefiting from the switch to home consumption. On the other hand, high-value products, such as quality meat cuts, wine and specialty cheeses – usually consumed outside – are seeing a significant decrease in consumption. For full detail concerning specific markets, see the news item and the report available online.