Third Mediterranean countries include Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey.

Imported vegetables  totalled 1,360,011 tons (+3.2%) while fruit reached 1 million tons (+2.8%). Overall EU import from Med Countries increased 3% until September 2009.

The growth of EU imports from EU Mediterranean countries is very remarkable: tomatoes have grown by 27%, peppers +16%, cucumbers +18% and zucchini +5%. The booming is even more significant considering the fact that, in the same period, imports from all third countries declined by 11%.

Morocco is the greatest exporter of fruits and vegetables to the EU, representing 33% of total EU imports from Mediterranean Countries, with 958,149 tons. It is followed Turkey with 864,317 tons, representing 29% of the total. Then come Israel (545,005 tonnes, 18%), Egypt (491,464 tons, 16%), Tunisia (101,842 tons, 3%), Jordan (18,775 tons, 1%), Algeria (11,028 tons) and Lebanon (2,010 tons).