Import value climbs by 26 per cent while exports rise slightly year-on-year at 1 per cent

The value of Spain’s fresh fruit and vegetable exports grew 1 per cent in the January-February period, according to new figures from the country’s Department of Customs and Excise.

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Exports came in at €3.4bn for the two months, during which time imports soared 26 per cent year-on-year to €802m.

In volume terms, fruit and vegetable exports rose 6.5 per cent to 2.29m tonnes.

Vegetable exports stood at 1.3m tonnes, up 15 per cent on the corresponding period of 2023, while value increased by 0.6 per cent to €1.96bn. 

This meant a decrease in the average export price of 12 per cent to €1.49 per kg.

In the fruit segment, exports stood at 974,511 tons, down 3 per cent, for a value of €1.46bn, growth of 2 per cent.

Average fruit export price improved by 5 per cent and stood at €1.50 per kg.

Imports rise

Import volumes grew 10.5 per cent, meanwhile, up to 698,083 tonnes, driven by vegetables.

The vegetable category climbed 17 per cent in volume and 36 per cent in value to 402,758 tonnes and €323m respectively.

Fruit imports rose 2.6 per cent, totalling 295,325 tonnes, at a value of €479m which was 20 per cent higher than the previous year.

“The customs statistics, made public today by the Ministry of Economy, Commerce and Business, show what Fepex has reiterated on multiple occasions: the strong dynamism of the import market in Spain, driven, to a large extent, by the different regulations required national and community production compared to that required in third countries,” Fepex stated.