Possible repercussions for Spanish fruit and vegetable exports to China following new tariff measures

Following the EU's imposition of tariffs on electric cars imported from China, China is likely to respond with similar measures. Although not yet certain, it is thought that they could include tariffs on imports of European agri-food products.

 

In 2023, Spanish exports of fresh fruit and vegetables to China reached 4,271 tonnes, which represents a 17% decrease in volume compared to the previous year. This volume barely represents 0.003% of Spain's total exports in 2023, which amounted to 11.3 million tonnes. In terms of value, exports to China stood at 6.3 million euros, 11% less, according to data from the Customs and Excise Department.

 

Sales of fruit and vegetables to China have shown a sharply declining trend over the last five years, from 43,721 tonnes in 2019 to 4,271 tonnes in 2023, a decrease of 90%. In value terms, sales to China fell from 56.3 million euros in 2019 to 6.3 million euros in 2023, a decrease of 89%.

 

One Spanish media outlet attributes this reduction largely to China's protectionist trade policy, based on non-tariff barriers that significantly hinder the consolidation of high volumes of shipments. Exporting fruit and vegetables from Spain to China requires the negotiation of bilateral protocols that specify the phytosanitary requirements necessary to be able to export to this country. Currently, the Chinese market is open for the export of stone fruit (peaches, plums, nectarines), grapes, citrus fruits, persimmons and almonds. However, finalising these protocols can take years of negotiation and must be done individually for each product, as China does not allow joint negotiation of multiple products.

 

It is worth noting that China is the world's largest producer of fruit and vegetables, with production exceeding 769 million tonnes, according to FAO data for 2021. This further highlights the challenges facing Spanish exporters in this highly competitive and regulated market.