So far in 2012, German agricultural export income has increased on last year's figures by seven per cent, according to Dr Gerd Müller, of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

"The final export figures for 2011 confirm the optimistic forecasts of spring. After an income of €60 billion of 2011, a new record can be achieved in agricultural exports."

"The exported volumes however are dropping in key market segments. So there is no reason to rest on this record," warned Dr Müller.

Dr Müller has said that these good results are due to high prices for German products in the market.

The main exporting countries in the field of agri-food industry are as in previous years

• The Netherlands (14 per cent of Germany's agricultural exports)
• Italy (10 per cent of agricultural exports) and France (9.6 per cent of agricultural exports).
• Around 78 per cent of German exports go to the Member States of the European Union.

The numbers disprove false allegations of individual NGOs, the German agricultural exports in particular would go to developing countries.

The budgetary expenditure for the EU agricultural export subsidies had dwindled to only about 164 million euros in 2011 from 10.3 billion euros in 1993 because of greater market orientation of the Common Agricultural Policy.