Spanish fruit and veg exports grow 13.5% in September

Spanish fruit and veg exports experienced a surge in September of this year, marking a 13.5% increase compared to the same month in 2022. The total volume reached 595,767 tons, breaking the trend of declining export volumes witnessed in previous months, according to data from the Department of Customs and Excise of the Tax Agency, published by the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, and Commerce.

September emerges as the sole month this year, alongside June, where exported volume increased, showcasing a 2% rise in overseas sales during that period.

The value of exported fruits and vegetables in September grew by 5%, reaching 764.8 million euros.

Fruits played a pivotal role in this growth, contributing significantly with a 25.5% increase compared to September 2022, totaling 379,710 tons, with a value of 498.8 million euros, an 11% rise.

Key contributors to this growth were watermelon, nectarine, and melon, emerging as the top-export items for the analyzed month. Watermelon exports rose to 61,069 tons (+109%) and 33.6 million euros (+35%), nectarine exports reached 47,908 tons (+55%) and 61.6 million euros (+26.5%), while melon exports totaled 35,620 tons (+26.5%) and 25.4 million euros (+12.5%).

In contrast, vegetable exports stood at 216,057 tons (-3%) and 266.4 million euros (-4%). Potatoes led the vegetable category, with exports amounting to 47,164 tons (+8%) and 20.3 million euros (+50%) in September.

Despite the September surge in export volume, the cumulative data for the first nine months of 2023 indicates a 6.5% decrease in exports compared to the same period in 2022, reaching 8.2 million tons. However, the overall value has seen a positive uptick, growing by 6.4% and totaling 12.456 billion euros.

source: fepex.es