Spain’s fresh produce exports generated €11.6bn in the opening six months of the year, while surging import growth raises concerns
Spanish exports of fresh fruit and vegetables totalled 6.6mn tonnes in the first-half of the year, a 0.6 per cent decrease when compared with the same period of 2025.
According to figures from the Department of Customs and Special Taxes, processed by Fepex, the value of those exports climbed 5.8 per cent to more than €11.6bn.
Vegetable exports totalled 3.16mn tonnes, down 1.6 per cent, while revenue grew 9 per cent to €5.43bn.
Fepex noted that, across the segment, peppers stood out with 451,150 tonnes exported (down 0.8 per cent) at a value of €1.13bn (up 6.1 per cent).
Tomato exports dropped 3.5 per cent in volume to 367,651 tonnes but increased 11.7 per cent in value, bringing in €757mn.
Cucumber exports climbed 1.4 per cent to 395,781 tonnes, with value jumping 19 per cent to €693mn, while courgette value soared 33 per cent to €379mn despite a dip in volume of 5 per cent to 247,095 tonnes.
In the fruit category, total exports stood at 3.44mn tonnes, rising 0.4 per cent year-on-year, at a value of €6.18bn, an increase of 3.1 per cent.
The country’s watermelon exports boomed in the first half, with exports rising 18.3 per cent in volume and 13 per cent in value to 451,454 tonnes and €393mn respectively.
Melons also performed positively, with year-on-yer growth of 11.4 per cent in volume and 15.4 per cent in value.
By contrast, orange exports fell by 11.2 per cent in volume to 790,297 tonnes and by 8.1 per cent in value to €774mn.
Mandarin exports dropped 6.6 per cent in volume, although their value remained virtually stable at €748mn.
The volume of lemons shipped dropped 2.2 per cent to 363,352 tonnes, but value rose 21 per cent to €598mn, Fepex reported.
Rising import volume and value
On the import side, Spain brought in 2.57mn tonnes in the opening six months of 2026, up 6.8 per cent, while value increased 4.4 per cent to €3.09bn.
Fruit imports grew 9.9 per cent in volume to 1.31mmn tonnes and by 8.1 per cent in value to €2.23bn.
Products showing the highest import growth in volume included bananas with 241,683 tonnes (up 14.4 per cent); oranges at 64,888 tonnes (up 43.8 per cent); kiwifruit, with 105,684 tonnes (up 20.7 per cent); and lemons at 30,280 tonnes (up 75.7 per cent).
Meanwhile, vegetable imports climbed by 3.8 per cent in volume to 1.26mn tonnes, with value down 4.2 per cent to €860mn.
Data from the Department of Customs and Special Taxes showed the trade balance for the fresh fruit and vegetable sector remained ”strongly positive” during the half, with a surplus of approximately €8.52bn – 6.3 per cent higher than the same period of 2025.
”For Fepex, the data from the first half of 2026 reflect the strength of the Spanish fresh fruit and vegetable export sector; the sector has maintained a virtually stable export volume while increasing its revenue to €11.61bn, thereby consolidating its position as a key contributor to Spain’s agri-food trade balance,” the association noted.
”However, there is concern regarding the sustained growth of imports, which rose by 6.8 per cent in volume – a rate far exceeding that of exports.
”This trend highlights growing competition from produce originating in third countries – both in the domestic market and within the EU – and underscores the need to boost the competitiveness of Spanish farms,” Fepex added.
”It also highlights the necessity of ensuring a level playing field through the effective application of the reciprocity principle regarding compliance with production, social, and environmental standards.”
