Strong growth in Spanish exports of fresh fruits and vegetables in 2015

The Spanish export of fruit and vegetables until October of this year has increased by 7% in volume and 14% in value over the same period of 2014, totaling 10 million tons and 9.477 million euros, according to the latest data I updated by the Directorate General of Customs, Ministry of Economy and FEPEX expected to end 2015 with a similar increase, reflecting the recovery in demand in the Community market and industry developments to products with higher added value.

The volume exported in 2015 will grow between 5% and 7%, so the 13 million tons will be overcome and the value will grow more than 10% to over 13,000 million euros, according to forecasts by FEPEX. The value will grow the volume developments in the sector to higher value-added, highlighting the strong growth of products, which until now had less weight in the export and red fruits. The export growth is also attributable to the good performance of demand in the whole EU, natural market for Spanish industry, with growth until October, 17% for Germany and 15% in the cases of France and the UK.

Export data, together with the participation of the Spanish agriculture sector, which has increased over previous years and now accounts for 66% of the final crop production and 39% of final agricultural production (which all sectors and livestock), as well as participation in agricultural employment are included, representing 50%, reflecting the increasing importance, both social and economic, of horticultural crops.

Looking to next year, the sector has significant challenges, such as distortions of competition generated between the producers of fruits and vegetables in the EU, since all Member States producers have included this sector in the direct payments scheme , against exclusion passed in Spain. The Russian veto, in force since August 7, 2014, is another of the outstanding issues for 2016, which has made the Spanish sector lost the first non-Community destination of horticultural exports.

By 2016, the industry expects grouped into FEPEX keep pace with growth in 2015, based on the recovery of the European market and the opening of new markets, strengthen international fair of fruits and vegetables, FRUIT ATTRACTION, the main measure of promotion sector, which will hold its next edition, the eighth, from 5 to 7 October.

Source: FEPEX