Germany under the microscope: Peanut trading outlook

Germany is one of the main peanut importers and the largest market for groundnuts in Europe, good for 18% of total EU imports. Its imports increased annually by 4.3% between 2014 and 2018, accounting for an average of 157 thousand tonnes, and good for €239 million value size.
The German appetite is divided as it follows:
- Country consumption
- Exports: it represents sales to its neighbor Austria (30%)
- Industrial usage: Product is exported to Luxembourg, where the consumption of groundnuts is minimal, but it is an important feedstock to the processing industry and packaging, which are re-exported to Germany back again.

The German market for groundnuts is quite concentrated, and mainly depends on import from Argentina, either through direct imports or through Dutch traders supply. In 2018, Germany imported almost 50% (47%) of its groundnuts from Argentina, followed by the Netherlands (14%) and the United States (13%). Germany imports a much higher share of in-shell groundnuts compared to most other European countries (except Italy), having demanded 19 thousand tonnes of in-shell groundnuts in 2018, mainly from the United States, followed by Egypt and Israel.

The emerging developing country supplier gaining the most in market share in Germany is Egypt. Import of groundnuts from Egypt has increased from 1.5 thousand tonnes in 2014 to 8.5 thousand tonnes in 2018. The majority of imports from Egypt is in-shell but also limited quantities consist of final products, such as roasted and retail packed products. In other words products are extensively sold through private label brands.

Sourcing wise, it is relevant to say that Brazil has been presenting a consistent growth on peanut markets in the last 6 years in EU, attenting consistent compliance by producing high oleic varieties and with the lowest aflatoxin levels reported in the market.