Eight years of TRACES data, now available in COLEAD's dashboard
The 2025 data on EU27 imports of organic agricultural and food products are now available through TRACES and can be explored in the dashboard on COLEAD's Analytics page. With this latest update, carried out through the FFM Plus programme, the dataset now spans eight years, from 2018 to 2025 — providing a solid basis for distinguishing longer-term trends from one-off movements. The data cover a broad range of organic products entering the EU27 market, including fruit and vegetables, cereals and oilseeds, coffee and cocoa, animal products, beverages and processed foods, as well as a small number of non-food products. All products included in the dataset are certified organic.
A market at its highest
EU organic imports rose sharply in 2025, reaching almost 3 million tonnes. That is the highest level since TRACES data became available in 2018, after two years of lower volumes. The increase covers most product groups, which points to firmer demand across a wide range of supply chains rather than an isolated catch-up effect.
Fruit and vegetables have taken first place
They now account for around 45% of import volumes, led by bananas, followed by avocados, lentils, cashew nuts, fruit juices, dates, citrus fruits and kiwifruit. Arable crops — mainly soybean products and cereals — follow at 39%, having ranked first in 2018 with 51%. The reversal happened gradually, through steady growth in fruit and vegetables rather than any collapse in arable crops.
Who supplies Europe's organic fruit and vegetables?
Ecuador alone supplied around a third of them in 2025, with volumes rising continuously over the eight years. The Dominican Republic and Peru remain major suppliers, although Dominican exports have fallen back since their 2021/2022 peak. Colombia stands out for steady growth, while Türkiye and Egypt have held relatively stable volumes over the period.
Where the growth is going
Growth in the market is not evenly shared. Between 2022 and 2025, Ecuador alone added almost 100,000 tonnes, and Colombia continued its steady climb. Over the same period, most of the leading African and Caribbean suppliers held relatively stable volumes — the Dominican Republic being the exception, with a decline since its 2021/2022 peak. Côte d'Ivoire, South Africa, Ghana and Kenya are among the main suppliers in that group.
The overall movement is therefore less a decline than a dilution: the market is growing faster than those supplies, which reduces their relative share at constant volumes.
Five countries, more than 80% of entries
The Netherlands remained the main gateway for organic imports into the EU in 2025, accounting for more than a third of volumes. Germany, Italy, Belgium and France complete the top five: together, these five destinations take in more than 80% of all organic imports. That reflects the size of these markets, but also the role of the major European logistics hubs, Dutch and Belgian in particular — the country of entry is not necessarily the country of consumption. These findings are only a snapshot. The dashboard allows trends to be explored by product, by country and by market.
EU organic imports dashboard — COLEAD Analytics page
This activity is supported by the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, implemented by COLEAD within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union. This publication receives financial support from the European Union and the OACPS. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the OACPS.