The European Commission reported that the Commissioner of Agriculture, Phil Hogan, has scheduled a series of promotional trips to third countries which should help create significant opportunities for EU agriculture and "open doors for exports." The Commissioner will visit China and Japan later this year and Mexico and Colombia in early 2016.
China and Japan are markets that offer opportunities for Spanish fruit and vegetable exports. The export of fresh fruit and vegetables to China in the first half of 2015 stood at 2,938 tonnes, representing a strong growth compared to the same period of 2014, when 1,129 tonnes were exported. In terms of value, exports have grown from 1 million to 2.9 million Euro.
Exports to Japan in the same period totalled 359 tonnes, 530% more than in the same period of 2014, when 57 tonnes were exported. The value grew strongly, rising from 206,591 to 1 million Euro; a 390% increase.
According to FEPEX, export volumes to these countries are minimal in relation to the potential of these markets, mostly due to their phytosanitary barriers to European productions.
In the first half of 2015, Spanish exports to Colombia totalled 1,211 tonnes, 4% higher than in the first half of 2014, when they stood at 1,164 tonnes, according to data from the Directorate General of Customs under the Ministry of Economy, processed by FEPEX.