![]() ![]() Demand from those countries is leading to increasing imports from developing countries. ![]() Spain, Belgium, the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands are also markets with a relatively large consumption. However, Germany is also an important re-exporter of dried thyme. Which European countries offer most opportunities for dried thyme?Īs Europe’s main importer of dried thyme, Germany is an interesting focus market. Major supplying areas are North Africa (Morocco and Egypt), Turkey, Middle East (Israel and Syria), and the Balkans (Albania). The leading EU producers are Poland, followed by Spain, and France, but large volumes are imported from non-European countries. Over the last five years, the import share of whole dried thyme leaves is shrinking while ground or crushed dried thyme is gaining market share.Įuropean production of dried thyme is not self-sufficient. Dried whole thyme leaves represent 63% of the total imported dried thyme volume, crushed or ground thyme 29%, while the remaining 8% accounts for dried wild thyme. Since 2015, imports from developing countries grew at a rate of 3% annually, while intra-European imports grew by 1% per year.īetween 20, European imports of dried thyme grew every year by 4% in value and 2% in volume to reach a value of €32 million and a volume of 8.4 thousand tonnes in 2019. Another consumption driver is the growing interest in natural medicines in which thyme is used as a medical herb or in the form of essential oil. The expected import and consumption growth are forecasted to be driven by the healthy eating trend and the increasing interest in specific cuisines, such as Mediterranean. In the next five years, imports are likely to increase at an annual growth rate of 1%–2%. Also, a large share of the intra-European trade is made of re-exports of dried thyme originally from developing countries. Around one-third of European dried thyme imports come from developing countries. European imports of dried thyme have increased at an annual growth rate of 2% in volume in the period 2015–2019. ![]() What makes Europe an interesting market for dried thyme?Įurope is the largest dried thyme importer in the world, accounting for a 50% share of the world’s total imports. Table 1: Products in the dried thyme product groupĭried thyme (excl. Please refer to table 1 to find the products and their product codes. This study covers general information regarding the market for dried thyme in Europe that may be of interest to producers in developing countries. Freeze-dried thyme is usually traded under the same codes as air-dried thyme, in particular 0910 99 33 (whole) or 0910 99 39 (crushed). Freeze-dried thyme is a specific type of product made by vacuum evaporation of water from frozen thyme. Other forms also include coarsely or finely cut leaf, finely cut stem, and different crushed forms. The largest quantities are exported as whole dried leaves, which are removed from the stem. Dried leaves and flowers can be packed and traded whole, cut or further processed into powder by grounding. Direct sun drying is not recommended as it negatively influences flavour and colour. Thyme can be dried either naturally or with the use of hot air. Thyme is now grown in many countries around the world. Thymus serpyllum and Thymus pulegioides also grow in the wild in all European countries. Thymus zygis is indigenous to Portugal and Spain. Common thyme is native to Southern Europe, from Spain to Italy. Thyme is indigenous to the Mediterranean region, especially in the Iberian Peninsula and in Northwest Africa. Thyme is also used as a fresh culinary herb or as raw material to produce essential oils, extracts, and oleoresins. Other Thymus species are also dried to be used as a culinary or medical herb, including Thymus zygis (Spanish thyme), Thymus serpyllum (wild thyme) and Thymus pulegioides (large thyme). The most widely spread species of the Thymus genus used to produce dried thyme is Thymus vulgaris or common thyme.
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