Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

In 2023, EU members imported 105,104 tonnes of coconut from non-EU countries, worth €146.0 million. Two-thirds (67%) of these imports were dried coconut (70,330 tonnes), while the remaining third (33%) consisted of fresh coconut, either peeled (20,328 tonnes) or in the shell (14,447 tonnes). According to figures from Eurostat in Brussels, non-EU coconut imports came primarily from 5 non-EU partners, accounting for 86% of total coconut imports. The Philippines was the largest supplier by far, supplying 41,944 tonnes, representing 40% of total non-EU coconut imports. This was followed by Indonesia (17,992 tonnes, 17%), Côte d’Ivoire (14,642 tonnes, 14%), Sri Lanka (8,206 tonnes, 8%) and Vietnam (8,065 tonnes, 8%). The Netherlands emerged as the largest EU coconut importer in 2023, accounting for almost half of the EU’s imports (48,937 tonnes, or 47% of total non-EU coconut imports). Germany was the second largest importer with 15,400 tonnes, accounting for 15% of total non-EU coconut imports, followed by Spain (10,743 tonnes, 10%), France (7,793 tonnes, 7%) and Italy (4,643 tonnes, 4%). These five EU countries contributed almost three-quarters (83%) of total EU coconut imports from non-EU countries.