Industry spotlight: Of the five largest German industries, the food industry has fared the best in the current crisis.

The food industry will emerge from the current crisis much better than other sectors. The export business in the food industry is still flourishing. To be sure, in comparison to 2008 there will be a nominal decline in terms of value, which is attributable to lower export prices that are particularly the result of lower production costs. The export ratio of the German food industry trade increased continuously from 17 percent in 1998 to 27 percent in 2008. In 2007 for the first time, Germany - traditionally an agricultural importer - achieved a balance in trade in agricultural and food products, and in 2008 the first trade surplus was achieved. Also for the first seven months of 2009, the positive news predominates. Unlike the plunge in exports in other sectors of the economy, some subsectors of the food industry have been able to again achieve considerable growth in exports, such as meat products (+4.5%), confectionary goods and grain.