Almeria is an important agricultural food and beverage exporter in Spain, accounting for 28.1% and 6% of Andalusia and Spain's total food and beverage exports, respectively. In 2021 these shipments reached a new record in value (3,485 million euro, +8.38%) and in trade surplus (3,106.6 million euro), according to the information handled by Extenda, Andalusia's Agency for Foreign Promotion.
98.1% of Almeria's agri-food exports were destined to Europe totaling 3,416.9 million euros, i.e. 8.5% more than in 2020. 80.5% of these products were sent to European Union countries and 17.5% to non-EU territories, including the United Kingdom. 0.7% are sent to Africa and 0.6% to America and Asia, although the latter continent has increased its purchases from Almeria by 212.3%.
Germany continues to be the first destination for Almeria products with shipments worth 1,059 million euros (30.4% of the total) and an 8.4% increase over the previous year. It is followed by the United Kingdom (531.5 million) with 15.3% of the total and a 29% increase, France (497.7 million) with 14.3% of the total and a 1.9% increase, the Netherlands (329.4 million euros) with 9.5% of the total and a 2.4% increase; and Italy (198.9 million) with 5.7% of the total and a 7% increase over the previous year.
Vegetable, plant, root, and tuber exports account for 79.8% of exports and increased by 5.1%. They were followed by fruit exports, with a value of 536.5 million euro (20.5% more than in the previous year); live plants and floriculture products, with 54.8 million euro (+17.4%) and seed exports, with 27.4 million.
In 2021, Almeria fruit and vegetable exports were led by exports of sweet peppers (833.8 million euro); tomatoes (540 million euro); cucumbers (492.84 million euro), courgettes (332.6 million euro), watermelons (233.16 million), aubergines (148.8 million euro); cabbage (77.3 million), other types of lettuce (71.6 million), melons (63.6 million), and garlic (56 million euro). This year, the spring crops' (melon and watermelon) and garlic's export value is expected to fall compared to last year.
Source: diariodealmeria.es