The EU supports the growth of Spanish fruit and vegetable exports in 2019

Sales of fresh fruits and vegetables to the EU in 2019 amounted to 12.5 million tons, representing 93% of the total and showing a 7% year-on-year increase, sustaining the global growth of Spanish exports of this sector, which was of 8% and stood at 13.4 million tons, according to data from the Department of Customs and Special Taxes processed by FEPEX.

In value, the Spanish export of fruits and vegetables to the EU in 2019 rose to 12,454 million euros, 4% more than in 2018, representing 92% of the total value in 2019, which rose to 13,542 million euros (+ 6%)

Within the EU, the main countries of destination registered positive behaviors, both in volume and value. 3.5 million tonnes were allocated to Germany, 6% more than in 2018, worth 3,561 million euros (+ 4%); to France they were 2.3 million tons (+ 2%) for a value of 2,346 million euros (+ 2%); 1.5 million tons were allocated to the United Kingdom (+ 5%), for a value of 1,779 million euros (+ 1%) and to the Netherlands one million tons (+ 6%) were exported for a value of 1,098 million of euros (+ 6%).

The extra-EU export in 2019 also registered a positive behavior in 2019, totaling 971,235 tons, 12% more than in 2018 for a value of 1 million euros (+ 19%), positive behavior that was observed both in non-EU countries European continent, among which Norway and Switzerland stand out, as in the extra-European countries, where a total of 645,948 tons (+ 28%) and 663 million euros (+ 24%) were exported.

In the latter group, Brazil is consolidated as the first market, with a strong growth of 56% in 2019, totaling 108,503 tons and 99.3 million euros (+ 45%), followed by Canada, where 90,103 tons of fruit and vegetables (+ 9%), worth 97 million euros (+ 4%).

For FEPEX, it is positive that sales to non-European countries have experienced high growth rates in 2019, 28% in volume and 24% in value; However, the Community market is what determines the growth rate of the sector, as reflected by data like this: in 2019 198,591 tonnes were exported to Germany more than in 2018, an amount greater than the increase in Spanish exports to all countries extra-European together, which was 149,778 tons.