Andalusia has broken a new record in fruit and vegetable sales abroad, with 2,192 million Euro exported in the first quarter of 2020. This is an all-time high for the first three months of the year since there are comparable records (1995) and entails an 8.6% growth compared to the same period of 2019.
With this, the region strengthens its leadership in Spanish fruit and vegetable exports, accounting for more than 2 out of every 5 Euro in national sales (44%), well ahead of the Region of Valencia (27.3%) and Murcia (16 %).
Blueberries and cucumbers, the ones growing the most
In the first quarter of the year, 8 out of Andalusia's top 10 most exported products recorded growth. The ranking is still topped by peppers, 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 strawberries, with 249 million; 11.4% and an increase of 0.5%.
In fourth place we find cucumbers and gherkins, with 238 million; 10.9% and an increase of 20.7%; followed by raspberries and blackberries, with 148 million (6.8%) and drop of 1.4%; citrus, with 147 million (6.7%), and dates, figs, pineapples, avocados, guavas, mangoes and mangosteens, with 140 million (6.4%) and an increase of 17.8%.
Significant increases in Europe
Between January and March, growth was achieved in the main foreign markets for the Andalusian fruit and vegetable sector, with increases in 9 of the top 10 destinations and 16 of the top 20. Almost all of these are European, although there has also been a 9% increase in sales in the United States, eighteenth in the ranking with 10.3 million.
The most important foreign destination and the third fastest growing of the top ten is Germany, with 629 million; 28.7% of the total and an increase of 11.9%; followed by the United Kingdom, with 329 million, 15% and an increase of 11.7%; France, with 296 million, 13.5% and an increase of 5.9%; the Netherlands, with 266 million, 12.1% and the second largest increase in the top ten markets, with 14.6%; and Italy, with 112 million, 5.1% and a decrease of 7.2%.
The sixth largest 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 increase of 4.6%; and Switzerland, with 42 million (1.9%) and the largest increase in the top ten markets, with a 31% growth.