Andalusia has reached a new record in foreign sales of Fruits and vegetables, with 2.192 million euros exported in the first quarter of 2020, its historical maximum for the first three months of a year since there are comparable records (1995), thanks to a growth of 8,6% compared to the same period in 2019.

With this, the community reinforces its leadership in fruit and vegetable exports from Spain, with more than two out of every five euros in national sales (44%), well ahead of the following, the Valencian Community (27,3%) and Murcia ( 16%), according to data from Extenda-Andalusian Agency for Foreign Promotion, an entity dependent on the Ministry of the Presidency, Public Administration and Interior.

Blueberry almost doubles sales

In the first quarter, eight of the first ten chapters exported by Andalusia grew, among which that of peppers continues as the leader in sales, with 410 million, 18,7% of the total, and an increase of 5,3%; followed by tomatoes, with 301 million, 13,7% and an increase of 1,5%; and the strawberries, with 249 million, 11,4% and rise of 0,5%.

In fourth place are cucumbers and gherkins, with 238 million, 10,9% and an increase of 20,7%, the second largest of the first ten exported chapters; followed by raspberries, blackberries, blackberries and blackberries-raspberries, with 148 million (6,8%) and decrease of 1,4%; citrus, with 147 million (6,7%), third in growth with 18,7% more; and dates, figs, pineapples, avocados, guavas, mangoes and mangosteens, with 140 million (6,4%) and an increase of 17,8%.

Then there are pumpkins and zucchini, with 120 million (5,5%) and a rise of 10,5%; the blueberries and myrtiles, with 77 million (3,5%), the chapter that grew the most in the top ten with almost double sales (+ 94%); and lettuces and chicory, with 67 million (3,1%), with a decrease of 0,2%.

All provinces grow, with Almería leading

All Andalusian provinces increased their sales in the first quarter of the year, six of them double-digit. Almería leads the fruit and vegetable exports of Andalusia, with an outstanding position, concentrating more than half of sales (55%) and billing 1.203 million thanks to a year-on-year growth of 6,7%. For its part, the province with the highest sales in this period is Jaén, with more than double (+ 125%) to 2,2 million.

The second exporting province of fruit and vegetables is Huelva, with 472 million, 21,5% and an increase of 3,8%; followed by Malaga, with 159 million, 7,3% and an increase of 16,8%; Granada, with 154 million (7%) and an increase of 14,8%; Seville, with 111 million (5,1%), which is the second fastest growing with a rise of 21,9%; Cádiz, with 46 million (2,1%), which increased its sales by 20,7%; and Córdoba, the second growing province with 24,2% more to 44 million, 2% of the total.

Markets

Between January and March, the main markets of the Andalusian fruit and vegetable sector grow abroad, with increases in nine of the top ten destinations and 16 of the first 20, almost all of them European, although there is also an increase in sales of 9% in United States, in eighteenth position with 10,3 million.

The first foreign destination and the third fastest growing of the top ten is Germany, with 629 million, 28,7% of the total and an advance of 11,9%; followed by United Kingdom, with 329 million, 15% and an increase of 11,7%; Francia, with 296 million, 13,5% and an increase of 5,9%; Netherlands, with 266 million, 12,1% and the second largest increase in the first ten markets, of 14,6%; and Italy, with 112 million, 5,1%, the only one that falls from the top ten affected by the Covid-19 crisis, with a decrease of 7,2%.

Its sixth international market is Poland, with 104 million (4,8%) and growth of 8,8%; followed by Belgium, with 59 million (2,7%) and an increase of 7%; Portugal, with 55 million (2,5%) and an increase of 1,8%; Sweden, with 47 million (2,1%) and an advance of 4,6%; and Switzerland, with 42 million (1,9%) and the largest increase in the top ten markets, of 31%.

The CEO of Extenda, Arturo bernal, meant the international muscle of the fruit and vegetable sector, “which has once again set a record abroad thanks to its commitment to quality and innovation, as well as its commitment to supplying world markets in a moment of great need ”.

He also underlined the important contribution that the sector makes to the Andalusian trade balance, to which it contributes a surplus of 1.911 million, with a coverage rate of 781%, which means that fruit and vegetable exports from Andalusia multiply imports by seven, despite the fact that these grow 9,2% to 281 million.