KAZALCI OKOLJA

Key message
Neutral

Slovenia is a net importer of food, as imports exceed exports in terms of value. After accession to the European Union, both trade flows began to increase significantly. At that time, imports increased more intensely, mainly at the expense of processed products, and exports at the expense of unprocessed agricultural products. Over the last decade, the growth of food and beverages exports has been more intense than the growth imports, therefore the coverage of imports by exports has been increasing and has amounted to above 60% in the period 2017–2021. The most important food trade partners are the EU members, and more than half of the total exchange takes place with neighbouring countries (Austria, Croatia, Italy and Hungary), from which Slovenia imports more food than it exports. Of the individual food groups, exports exceed imports of live animals, and dairy products and eggs, while the lowest coverage is found in import of fish and fish preparations, vegetables and fruit, and coffee, tea, cocoa, and spices.


The indicator shows the coverage of food imports by exports in Slovenia, which gives the information about the foreign trade balance. The import coverage is expressed as a percentage (%), where a share greater than 100 means that the value of food exports exceeds the value of imports, i.e. the country is a net exporter. A share of less than 100 means that the value of imports exceeds the value of exports, i.e. the country is a net importer.

Within the indicator, the coverage of total food and beverages imports by exports in the period 2000–2021, the coverage of food and beverages imports from neighbouring countries, the coverage of imports of certain food groups and the comparison of the export-import ratio of food and beverages among EU-27 Member States are presented.


Charts

Figure KM33-1: Coverage of food and beverages imports by exports, 2000–2021
Sources:

SORS, 2022; calculations by AIS

Show data
Food and beverages, total[%] Primary food and beverages[%] Processed food and beverages[%]
2000 55.30 28.80 68
2001 59.90 30.20 73.40
2002 63 31.20 76.10
2003 60.40 26.70 74.60
2004 46.90 24.60 56.80
2005 46.60 36.70 51.10
2006 46.40 47.50 46
2007 45.20 53.50 41.50
2008 47.90 64.60 39.90
2009 42.40 52 38.60
2010 47.30 61.80 40.30
2011 47.70 63.20 40.30
2012 47.10 59.30 42.30
2013 48.30 58.30 44.30
2014 51.40 63.40 46.90
2015 51.90 60.70 48.30
2016 53.20 62 49.70
2017 57.60 69.90 52.70
2018 59.80 70.60 55.70
2019 61.50 69 58.70
2020 64.10 72.70 60.80
2021 67.70 78.20 64.20
Figure KM33-2: Coverage of food and beverages imports from neighbouring countries by exports, 2000–2021
Sources:

SORS, 2022; calculations by AIS

Show data
2000[%] 2001[%] 2002[%] 2003[%] 2004[%] 2005[%] 2006[%] 2007[%] 2008[%] 2009[%] 2010[%] 2011[%] 2012[%] 2013[%] 2014[%] 2015[%] 2016[%] 2017[%] 2018[%] 2019[%] 2020[%] 2021[%]
Austria 6.90 6.10 8.70 13.30 13.70 29.90 28.50 27.10 20.80 17.40 21.50 27.40 27.20 26.40 30 35.40 35.10 38.10 37.70 38.10 43.60 50.60
Croatia 166.30 169.30 145.50 150.90 150.50 126.70 111.60 99.70 98.40 66.70 61.50 60.80 71.90 88.70 93.50 76.40 77 78.90 82.30 91.70 86.90 86.90
Italy 26.30 20.10 32 40.20 33.60 48.20 52.30 52.80 68.30 52.20 85.90 93.50 75 75.90 71.70 69.80 67.60 68.80 74.20 68.50 70.10 73.80
Hungary 2.70 1.90 3.50 7.70 7.80 5.60 5.60 9.30 12.70 12.30 11.90 16.60 13.50 8.30 13.30 12.60 12.10 19.90 15 19.50 28.20 36.20
Figure KM33-3: Coverage of food imports by exports by food groups, 2000–2021
Sources:

SORS, 2022; calculations by AIS

Show data
2000[%] 2001[%] 2002[%] 2003[%] 2004[%] 2005[%] 2006[%] 2007[%] 2008[%] 2009[%] 2010[%] 2011[%] 2012[%] 2013[%] 2014[%] 2015[%] 2016[%] 2017[%] 2018[%] 2019[%] 2020[%] 2021[%]
Live animals 9.40 39.80 141.30 58.50 24.40 40.90 124.70 130.90 212.60 134.50 165.60 210.70 221.30 226.60 186 150.70 178.60 210.40 193.30 155.80 163.10 200.20
Meat and meat preparations 111 112.40 111.80 127.30 98.70 76.40 69.70 66.70 59.60 51.70 53.60 55.20 51.20 54.40 54.90 59.70 58.90 64.90 68.50 71.20 76.70 81.20
Dairy products and eggs 235.10 272.40 237.20 224.10 173.80 130 116.20 113.40 106.50 90.80 97.70 103.30 101.90 100 105 106.10 112.70 114.90 117.20 123.70 129.10 135.90
Fish and fish preparations 25.30 22 19.80 20.10 18.40 21.10 22.20 20.90 25.30 27.80 24.90 24.90 26.20 27.70 34.60 29.60 28.80 28.70 30.20 28.90 34.60 38
Cereals and cereal preparations 14.10 13.20 14 11 10 11.80 14.40 11.60 14.60 18.50 24.50 21.80 32.90 27.10 26.30 34.60 37.20 44.90 46.30 49.20 50.80 57
Vegetables and fruit 22.10 17.50 13.90 16.80 14.90 22.80 19.50 25.10 33.70 27.30 24.60 26.80 19.20 19.40 27.80 31.70 30.30 30.90 33.10 35.10 36.80 36.70
Sugars, sugar preparations and honey 52.30 59 50.90 47.40 53.50 85.80 73.10 51.90 28.70 22 41.10 34.10 40 42.90 45.80 41.10 48.90 32.50 40.40 47 50.80 41
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices 9.10 9.30 10.60 12.90 14.50 14.20 13.50 12.20 18.10 19.90 10.50 12.10 19.40 25.70 22 22 25.10 27.70 32.30 36 38.50 42.80
Miscellaneous edible products and preparations 43.90 51.80 59.90 52.40 47.70 48.30 49.50 53 58.30 56.20 59.30 54.60 58.70 62.70 66.10 65.80 67.50 91.50 89.90 92.50 86.40 91.40
Beverages 272.20 365.30 433 393.20 185.40 127.30 101.70 83.20 79.60 79.70 75.20 80.70 83 90.20 91.30 86.50 84.90 77.40 80 83.60 90.80 97.30
Figure KM33-4: Coverage of food and beverages imports by exports in the EU-27, 2000–2021
Sources:

Eurostat, 2022; calculations by AIS

Show data
2000[%] 2001[%] 2002[%] 2003[%] 2004[%] 2005[%] 2006[%] 2007[%] 2008[%] 2009[%] 2010[%] 2011[%] 2012[%] 2013[%] 2014[%] 2015[%] 2016[%] 2017[%] 2018[%] 2019[%] 2020[%] 2021[%] Average of 2017–2021[%]
Ireland 222.20 191.10 185.20 189.20 187.70 175.20 179.90 166.40 150.70 144 156 160 156.80 159.80 162.40 158.40 161.30 169.10 160.30 166.40 155.50 181 166.47
Spain 131 128.20 131 133.60 126.70 119.80 120 117.90 121 124.50 129.20 129 141.10 148.60 150.40 150.40 152.20 150.10 149.90 158.10 172.70 165.70 159.30
Poland 98.50 105.90 112 133.40 144 151.70 150.40 140.60 125.80 132.20 132.80 128.70 142.60 152.90 155.60 158.90 147.80 145.80 149.50 149.80 151.30 152.30 149.73
Denmark 203 209.70 195 189.10 181.60 175.10 170.40 164.70 160.10 165.30 171 166.90 166 163.90 160.20 155.30 156.60 156.80 148.60 149.60 149.70 142.90 149.51
Netherlands 150.40 148.20 150.10 146.70 149.70 150.30 150.90 148.30 142.60 146.80 147.20 138.50 138.40 142.80 146 137.30 140.30 139.60 138.60 139.60 138.60 136.60 138.58
Hungary 278.50 288.40 239.50 214.80 161.80 133.80 133.90 139 143.80 144.10 152.60 154.50 173 174.10 159.20 150 144.20 146 136.60 134.40 135 140.30 138.45
Bulgaria 126.80 126.10 155 124 125 134.20 113.50 91.50 112 108.10 129.70 135.20 129.80 149.40 133.90 127 135.40 128.90 127 120.80 108.80 133.10 123.70
Lithuania 73.70 85.70 81.50 93.20 97.50 109.30 104.90 118.60 108.90 118.20 116.80 116 128.10 123.90 123.30 123.50 125.70 121.20 113.50 123.20 133.50 125.60 123.42
Belgium 115.80 115.80 113.10 112.50 114.30 115.90 114.90 112.30 110.60 112.20 112.70 108.20 110.30 110.70 110.30 114.40 112.40 113.40 114.80 119.40 116.70 113.10 115.49
France 144.40 138.50 140.20 139.30 134.80 132.30 133.60 132.10 128.30 117.20 122.60 130.40 129.90 126.70 122 119.30 113.50 111.80 113.90 116.70 112.30 115.50 114.02
Italy 79.90 83.10 84.90 80.50 79.20 81.30 81.20 84.10 87.10 87.30 87.60 86.30 93 95 94.30 97.90 101.20 102.50 106.50 109.80 117.20 116.20 110.46
EU–27 106.80 106.30 106.40 105.80 105.10 104.80 104.60 103.70 103.30 102.70 105.30 104.90 108.50 110.60 110.10 108.60 108 107.90 108.10 110.40 111.20 111.50 109.84
Latvia 28.30 40.20 41.40 44.20 50.30 67.80 68.30 70.60 79.20 79.90 92 91.30 118.20 109.20 105.80 107.50 102.40 104.70 100.60 109.90 110.30 107.90 106.68
Austria 83.90 87.20 89.60 95.60 95.70 99 102.40 98.30 96.80 93.60 97.60 98 96.40 96.30 95.50 95.60 94.40 96.50 98.80 101 104.30 105.30 101.17
Greece 68.80 75 62.40 59.90 53.70 64.30 66.70 61.20 60.40 63.40 70.60 71.90 78.40 82.20 79.90 92 93.10 87.50 94 88.50 109.70 105.30 97.00
Estonia 58.80 74.30 70.20 64.30 65.20 69.10 76.10 73.80 74.20 75.70 87.30 87.30 95.50 91.60 90.40 87.80 81.10 83.10 80.60 90.70 94.20 90.20 87.77
Germany 66 68 69 70.60 73.70 75.10 74.80 77.40 80.50 80.90 81.30 80.70 82.70 85.30 84.70 81.10 80.10 79.80 79.40 81.30 79.10 78.20 79.55
Czechia 81.30 78.40 70.30 67.80 70.80 80.20 73.90 76.80 80 74.40 72.70 75 84.80 85.50 87.20 87.50 84.20 79.40 77.30 76.10 78.90 81 78.55
Slovenia 53.90 58.90 61.70 59.60 47.50 49.20 51.90 54.50 55.20 50.40 56.80 57.10 59.80 59.10 61 61.30 63.50 68.20 70.60 71.30 74.60 80.50 73.05
Romania 40.40 41.90 40.60 36.90 39.20 36.90 39.90 31.10 46.50 50.30 69 78.80 73.70 95.90 94.20 78.80 79.10 76.60 73.70 67.60 58.20 74.90 70.21
Croatia 50.80 47.90 55.20 45.80 54 62.50 62 53.60 59.90 61.20 61 64.40 57 56.60 62.20 69.70 68.30 70.90 63.60 73.40 73.40 69.91
Slovakia 55.10 62.30 66.50 69 75.70 79.30 81.10 78.10 70.90 68.30 70.80 77 92 83.30 72.20 73.20 69.40 66.80 63.40 63 66.70 69.80 65.96
Portugal 40.10 37.10 40.90 42.20 43 44.10 45.20 46.20 49.10 50 51.70 55.10 60.60 61.60 66.70 64.50 64.50 64.80 63.80 63.90 67 69.60 65.83
Sweden 51.60 53.40 53.10 54.60 55.40 56.20 56.10 54.60 54.90 54.70 57.50 55.30 55.70 56.80 57.70 57.40 58.40 57.50 57.80 58.40 59.90 61.40 59.01
Luxembourg 41.10 46.10 48 45.80 44.60 44.90 45.10 44.40 45.50 45.50 47.60 50.10 49.10 48 51.70 52.90 48.80 50.70 51.10 49.70 48.80 50.20 50.08
Malta 19.90 22.10 33.90 29.70 30.20 34.90 38.10 37.80 35.40 18.10 33.40 30.70 37.60 40.70 39.90 44.30 44.10 42.60 52.10 44.30 45 43.90 45.58
Cyprus 36.30 37.10 37.80 40.40 38.80 36.20 32.40 31.20 26.90 25.10 25.50 29.60 28 35.20 33.70 34.80 38.80 39.60 42.50 44.50 52.20 45.20 44.82
Finland 44.30 46.10 45 41.80 40.70 39.60 42.10 44.60 41.80 35.80 37 39.20 37.30 36.80 36 32.80 31.30 33.10 31.50 34.40 35.60 35 33.91

Goals

  • Strengthen the competitiveness and productivity of agriculture and the food processing industry (the growth of competitiveness on foreign markets and the export orientation of food processing companies also contributes to the improvement of export-import ratio in international food trade),
  • achieving the highest possible level of self-sufficiency.

The ratio between the value of food exports and imports is important for monitoring the export orientation of production, food security, and food availability in a country. A coverage of imports by exports, which is less than 100%, means that the trade balance with foreign countries is negative. i.e. more food is imported than exported. In general, countries aim to maximise the coverage of imports by exports. Exports to foreign markets promote competitiveness in production and thus productivity and innovation. Sales on foreign markets generate an important share of revenues in the economy, contributing to economic growth and progress, and cover the cost of importing goods. The ratio between the two trade flows is also related to the level of food self-sufficiency. Countries that are self-sufficient and produce surpluses of products tend to be net exporters of food, while countries that are not 100% self-sufficient must also ensure food security through imports from other countries (net importers). Achieving food security through domestic food production and minimising dependence on imports from other countries are important elements of national security, especially in times of insecurity (political and other instabilities) and major price fluctuations on global markets (Revizijsko poročilo …, 2021). Global megatrends show that an increasingly variable climate may have a negative impact on the quantity and quality of food produced in Slovenia in the future (Sadauskis et al., 2019). This may also increase the dependence on global food markets and affect the export-import ratio. Therefore, the resilience of agriculture to climatic and other conditions, the volume of production, as well as competitiveness of products in foreign markets will be of importance in maintaining export levels of agricultural and food products.

The coverage of total food imports by exports was compared between the periods before EU accession (2000–2003), post-accession period (2004–2016), and the period of the last five years (2017–2021). In terms of value, Slovenia was a net importer of food and beverages in all three above-mentioned periods. In the period before EU accession, the import coverage was on average 60%, being higher for processed products (73%) than for primary products (29%). This implies that more products with higher added value were exported. After EU accession, the coverage of food and beverage imports at the aggregate food level decreased to an average of 48%. The reason was in a steeper growth of imports than exports, especially of processed food and beverages, as with the opening of borders, the Slovenian food processing industry faced increased competition (Pintar and Kožar, 2016). On the other hand, in the case of unprocessed products, the ratio between the two trade flows increased significantly in favour of exports. In the last five years (2017–2021), both imports and exports of food and beverages have been continuously increasing (with the exception of imports in 2020 due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic), exports slightly more intensively. At the aggregate level, the coverage of food and beverages import is on average 62%, with coverage remaining higher for primary products.

Prior to Slovenia's accession to the EU (2000–2003), an important share of foreign trade in food was conducted with the countries of the former Yugoslavia, but since then, trade has largely shifted to EU member states. In the last five years (2017–2021), imports of food and beverages from the EU countries accounted on average for 88% of total imports, while exports to EU countries accounted for 72% of total exports in terms of value. Neighbouring countries account for slightly more than half of the value of trade. After Slovenia's accession to the EU, the value of trade with Austria, Italy and Hungary increased, and after 2013 also with Croatia, when it joined the EU. Among neighbouring countries, Italy and Croatia are the most important partners for both imports and exports of food and beverages. Food and beverage exports from Slovenia cover the largest share of imports in trading with Croatia; in the period before Slovenia's accession to the EU, import coverage was on average 158%, after which it began to decrease sharply. In recent years (2017–2021), the coverage of imports by exports in trade with Croatia was on average 85%, followed by Italy with 71%, while the coverage is lower in trade with Austria (42%) and Hungary (24%). In general, exports of food and beverages from Slovenia to these countries are growing faster than imports.

Slovenia was a net importer (in terms of value) of most food groups throughout the analysed period. Prior to EU accession, exports exceeded imports for meat and meat preparations, dairy products and eggs, and beverages. After EU accession, trade flows of the aforementioned food groups changed significantly. The ratio began to increase in favour of imports (in the case of beverages, exports also decreased significantly at the same time), and the export of meat and meat preparations shifted towards the export of live animals. Since Slovenia's accession until 2021, exports exceeded imports on average only for live animals and dairy products and eggs. This is somehow expected, as the conditions for livestock breeding are favourable in Slovenia, the level of self-sufficiency in meat and milk is high, and production surpluses are exported to foreign markets. For other food groups, Slovenia was a net importer in the period of the last five years (2017–2021), but exports still largely covered imports also for miscellaneous edible preparations (90%), beverages (86%), and meat and meat preparations (73%). The most unfavourable ratio is for foods that are not grown or produced in sufficient quantities to meet total domestic demands, namely fish and fish preparations (32%), vegetables and fruit (35%), and coffee, tea, cocoa, and spices (35%). On average over the last five years, compared to the period before EU accession, the import coverage has decreased the most for beverages (from 366% to 86%) and dairy products and eggs (from 242% to 124%), while it has increased the most for live animals (from 62% to 185%).

Unlike Slovenia, the European Union (EU-27) is on average, a net exporter of food and beverages. On average over the last five years (2017–2021), the coverage of food and beverages imports by exports was 110%. Among individual member states, the following countries were net exporters: Ireland (166%), Spain (159%), Poland (150%), Denmark (150%), the Netherlands (139%), Hungary (138%), Bulgaria (124%), Lithuania (123%), Belgium (115%), France (114%), Italy (110%), Latvia (107%), and Austria (101%). Slovenia ranks 18th in terms of import coverage (average for the period 2017–2021: 73%). Romania (70%), Croatia (70%), Slovakia (66%), Portugal (66%), Sweden (59%), Luxembourg (50%), Malta (46%), Cyprus (45%) and Finland (34%) had lower import coverage than Slovenia in the same period.


Methodology

Date of data source summarization

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