I' am pleased to present this second edition of Key figures on the European food chain. The publication responds to interest in the European Commission’s Farm to Fork Strategy, which is an integral part of the European Green Deal that sets out to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The Farm to Fork Strategy aims to establish a sustainable food system in the European Union that is fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly.
This is an important year for agricultural statistics, insofar as it marks the release of a wealth of detailed information provided by a new agricultural census (that was principally conducted during 2020). The decennial agricultural census – which forms part of a worldwide programme – delivers data for 9 million farms across the EU. It provides an opportunity for Eurostat to: anonymise individual data; aggregate information for EU totals/ averages; disseminate information through its databases and publications such as this one.
Key figures on the European food chain aims to provide intuitive visualisations and innovative data presentations supported by concise text. It starts with an overview of agriculture and fisheries: while some products are sold raw (for example milk, fruit and vegetables) or processed (such as wine and olive oil) directly from farms, most pass through a much more complex food chain; the EU also relies on a range of imported goods. This journey is reflected in the different sections of the publication that cover processing, distribution, and the consumption of food and beverages. The final chapter concerns environmental issues related to various stages of the food chain, including food waste.
Most datasets included within Key figures on the European food chain are presented until 2020 or 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions affected many different aspects of life in the EU (and further afield). Its asymmetric impact can be clearly seen for some stages of the food chain: for example, while the demand for food and beverages from retailing was relatively stable through the pandemic, there was a large contraction in activity for restaurants, bars and cafés as of March 2020, followed by a (partial) rebound/recovery. For the most up-to-date statistics on economic and social impacts of COVID-19, see: https://ec.europa.eu/ eurostat/web/covid-19/overview.
The effects of the Russian military aggression against Ukraine have not yet been fully captured by the statistical indicators presented in this edition. However, Ukraine and Russia have historically been important trading partners for a range of agricultural products (such as cereals, animal or vegetable fats and oils, and fertilisers). This edition highlights the share of selected EU agricultural
