World Food Day

Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow.

World Food Day is celebrated every year on 16 October. On that date in 1945, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations was founded. This day is an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of fighting hunger, improving access to safe and nutritious food, and creating more resilient and inclusive food systems. This year's theme, ‘Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow.’, emphasises the key role of innovation in creating a sustainable food future.

Read on to find out what the statistics reveal about food.

Food imports and exports are increasing, while vegetable production is also rising

The production, import and export of food and food products constitute a significant part of any country's economy. In 2025, Croatia imported food and live animals valued at 5.62 billion euro, an increase of approximately 9.0% compared to the previous year, when the value of imports stood at 5.16 billion euro. Exports also increased during the same period, growing from 2.86 billion euro in 2024 to 3.08 billion euro in 2025.

Fruit imports were valued at 446 million euro in 2025, 15.3% higher than the previous year, when they stood at 386 million euro. The value of vegetable imports also increased, reaching approximately 292 million euro in 2025, which was 2% more than the 286 million euro recorded in 2024.

While the data indicate an increase in food imports, domestic agricultural production has also increased, particularly vegetable production. In 2025, Croatia produced 224 817 tonnes of vegetables, an increase of 39 376 tonnes compared to the 185 441 tonnes produced in 2024. The largest increase was recorded in tomato production, which was up by 29 681 tonnes.

By contrast, total fruit production in 2025 was lower than in the previous year. However, grapes were an exception, with production increasing from 98 262 tonnes in 2024 to 121 499 tonnes in 2025.
 
Food prices and household expenditure

For most citizens, however, food prices are the main concern. In Croatia, food and non-alcoholic beverage prices were, on average, 5.1% higher in 2025 than the year before. Such price trends directly affect daily household expenses, given that food accounts for a significant portion of household expenditure.

According to data for 2024, expenditure on food and non-alcoholic beverages accounted for 13.2% of total household consumption expenditure in the European Union. In Croatia, the figure was higher, around 17.5%. Only Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Slovakia, Estonia, Lithuania, Portugal and Poland recorded a higher share than Croatia.
 
How much food do we waste?

According to Eurostat data, approximately 57.9 million tonnes of food waste were generated in the European Union in 2024, which amounted to 129 kilograms per inhabitant. More than half of all food waste, specifically 53%, originated in households. This means that households generated about 31 million tonnes of food waste, or 69 kilograms per inhabitant.
 
Food waste is not just the food we do not eat. It accumulates throughout the food journey, from production to the table. In the EU, for instance, approximately 11.3 million tonnes of food waste are generated during the manufacture of food products and beverages, 6.7 million tonnes in restaurants and food services, 4.5 million tonnes in retail and other distribution, and 4.3 million tonnes in primary production.

That is why the issue of food today is not merely a matter of what we choose to have for lunch. World Food Day reminds us that there is an entire journey behind the food on our tables, from production and trade to consumption and waste, while statistical data shed light on the different parts of that story.

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