In 2021, Dutch export sales grew on Italian and Irish markets while fruit imports stagnated

In 2021, despite challenges such as high transportation costs and sea freight container shortages, the Netherlands emerged as the leader in fresh fruit and vegetable trading in Europe. The country's sales to overseas countries rose to €13.1 billion, with fresh fruit and vegetable exports maintaining their value from the previous year. The majority of these products were sold to neighboring European countries, with Germany, Belgium, and the UK being the most important sales markets. However, Dutch re-exports to the UK experienced a decline due to import taxes and direct trade between British companies and countries like Peru, which saw its imports to the Netherlands more than doubling between 2016 and 2021. The Netherlands also faced challenges in exporting bell peppers to the US and onions to various countries due to high airfreight tariffs and fewer passenger flights. Despite these challenges, the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables in the Dutch market increased by three percent in 2021.