According to data from the General Directorate of Customs, olive exports fell by 5% in 2018, from 308,380 tons to 292,750. The value of the export was also reduced, by 4.2%, from 737.2 million euros to 706.0. All areas decreased except for the EU that remained stable with 131,834 tons (+ 0.36%).
The largest decrease occurred in North America (USA, Canada and Mexico) where 76,647 tons were exported (-12.81%), compared to 87,904 the previous year, highlighting the drop in the US, which goes from 73,227 tons exported in 2017 to 61,475 tons in 2018 (-16%) due to tariffs on black olives.
The Arab countries also decrease, from 30,415 to 29,700 tons (-2.43%), the Eastern and Balkan countries go from 27,368 to 25,000 tons (-8.50%), to Central and South America 12,500 tons were exported in 2017 going to 11,462 in 2018 (-8.42%) and the Rest of the World went from 18,800 to 18,000 tons (-3.86%).
In the analysis by countries highlights the aforementioned decrease in the US, which goes from 73,227 tons to 61,475 (-16%), from France that goes from 23,930 tons to 21,656 (-9.50%), from Russia, where they were exported 17,861 tons in 2017 and 16,366 in 2018 (-8.37%) and Brazil, which goes from 6,419 to 5,214 tons (-18.77%).
Among the countries that grow, Saudi Arabia stands out, in 2017 17,303 were exported compared to 18,626 tons exported in 2018 (+ 7.65%) and the United Kingdom, which went from 11,797 tons to 13,300 tons (+ 12.75%).
Although the olive was exported to more than 150 countries, the EU remains the first destination zone with 45%, followed by North America 26%, Arab countries 10.1% and Eastern and Balkan countries 8.5%.
As a conclusion, and it was expected, the significant decrease in exports of black olives to the US has not been able to compensate with growth of exports to other areas that either have descended or have remained stable as the EU.
The Secretary General of ASEMESA, Antonio de Mora, “reiterates his request for an aid fund to compensate for losses due to tariffs imposed by the US, and recalls that the defense procedures before the World Trade Organization and US justice last for years , which will make it very difficult, if not impossible, to recover the lost market “.
In defense of the interests of the sector
ASEMESA, the Spanish Association of Exporters and Industrialists of Table Olives, represents for more than 90 years the industry dedicated to the production, marketing and export of table olives in Spain.
The main objective of the Association is to defend the interests of the table olive industry as well as to intercede with national and international administrations and agricultural organizations. At present, it also plays an important role within the Interprofessional of the sector, Interaceituna, being one of the promoters of its creation in 2007.
