The value of Lithuanian agricultural and food exports has increased by almost 30% compared to the same period last year since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
This increase was mainly due to higher exported agricultural and food products costs. The value of exports to Ukraine halved, while exports to Russia and Belarus increased by 10% and 14%, respectively.
Almost 570 million euros of agricultural and food products have been exported to various countries since the start of the war in Ukraine, while products were imported to Lithuania for over 270 million.
“We are exporting more than we are importing, this tendency is seen since 2004,” said Evaldas Pranckevicius, head of the economic analysis division of the strategic planning department of the Agriculture Ministry.
Lithuania produces more agricultural and food products than it needs for domestic consumption, he added.
“For example, in 2020, the supply of cereals and their products amounted to 401%, beef and veal – 295%, poultry – 108%, milk and milk products – 145% and eggs – 114%,” said Pranckevicius.
He added that Lithuania’s growing exports of agricultural and food products during the war in Ukraine showed that, despite geopolitical tensions, the demand for the country’s products in foreign markets had not decreased. (LRT/Business World Magazine)