Spain: exports of fresh fruit and vegetables up 5% in value until September
The Spanish export of fresh fruits and vegetables in the first nine months of the year grew by 4.85% over the same period last year, reaching 9,093 million euros, despite having decreased in volume by 3.06%, reaching 8.9 million tonnes, according to data updated up to September, from the General Directorate of Customs and processed by the Spanish Federation of Associations of Producers Exporters of Fruits and Vegetables (FEPEX).
Exports to the EU in the first nine months of the year grew by 4.7% in value, amounting to 8,450 million euros and falling by 2.5% in volume, totaling 8,435,974 tonnes
Despite this decline, the share of the EU in foreign sales slightly increases, accounting for 94.01% of the total, showing, according to FEPEX, the need to strengthen the policy of diversification and access to new markets.
In September, the performance of sales abroad increased by 15.8% in volume, with 598,923 tonnes and 11.3% in value, amounting to 554 million euros. The improvement of exports in this month is observed both in vegetables (+ 26.5% in volume and 21.8% in value) and in fruits, with 10.7% in volume and 6.6% in value.
Sales to the United Kingdom in September grew by 15% in volume compared to the same month of 2015, amounting to 66,022 tonnes, but fell by 5.6% in euros, totaling 70 million
The main vegetables exported to the United Kingdom in this month have been onion, tomato and cucumber and in fruits they were table grape, nectarine and peach.
Spanish imports of fresh fruit and vegetables from January to September grew by 15.9% in volume compared to the same period in 2015, totaling 2,160,296 tonnes and 24.4% in value, amounting to 1,760 million euros, corresponding 523 million to vegetables and 1,236 million to fruits. In the group of vegetables stands the potato, with 153 million euros, green beans, with 106 million euros and tomato with 77 million euros.
The main fruits imported are avocado with 145 million euros, lemon with 134 million euros and apple with 124 million euros
FEPEX expects that the positive export performance observed in September will continue in the last quarter of the year due to the sales momentum observed in FRUIT ATTRACTION, held from 5th to 7th October in Madrid, with the participation Of 10,085 foreign professionals from 102 countries, 17% more than in the previous edition.
Source: FEPEX
