Brazil's apple exports to the European Union dropped in the first five months of 2015, but unlike bananas they saw an increase in total shipments for the period.

The Portuguese-speaking country's banana exports to the EU as of the end of May were 58% lower year-on-year, while total shipments fell by a fifth over the same period, according to data from the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade's online information system called 'AliceWeb'.

Within the EU, the two most significant trade declines came from the Netherlands and the U.K., which had each received a little more than 7,000 metric tons (MT) by the end of May 2014 but this year saw declines of 50% and 37% respectively.

Exports to France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland disappeared completely, according to the Brazilian statistics.

Meanwhile, exports to neighboring Argentina and Uruguay saw increases of 26% and 21% respectively to reach 9,904MT and 14,902MT over the period.

In total, Brazil had exported 35,113MT of bananas by the end of May this year, with a little more than a quarter traded with the EU.

In terms of apples, the EU had received 6% less year-on-year as of the end of May, while total exports were up 17%, according to Aliceweb.

As with bananas, the U.K. and the Netherlands saw declines of 12% and 9% respectively to hit 3,362MT and 9,529MT, although there were increases for Ireland and Portugal.

A big chunk of the total export growth came from Bangladesh, which increased trade 47% to reach 14,175MT.

Total apple shipments over the period were higher than bananas at 48,036MT, and the EU represented a larger proportion of trade with 58%.

In terms of papayas, exports over the period totaled 14,735MT, marking a 21% year-on-year jump. Shipments of the tropical fruit to Europe typically peak twice a year, between March and May as well as September and November.

The EU imported 89% of Brazilian papaya shipments.

Lemons and limes are another major Brazilian export, with volumes hitting 40,667MT, although year-on-year variation was far less than the other fruit categories, with shipments seeing a 1% increase.

The EU market received 82% of Brazilian lemon and lime trade.

Photo: Port of Santos, São Paulo, via Wikimedia Creative Commons

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