Andalusian agro-food exports to the United Kingdom continue to grow exactly a year after the announcement of Brexit. Between July 2016, the month following the referendum in which the country decided to leave the European Union, and May this year (the last month for which data are available), the country has imported food and beverages worth 971 million Euro, 15.6% more than in the same period from 2015 to 2016.
This increase has been recorded in all Andalusian provinces. Thus, during the period at hand, Almeria has exported agro-food products worth more than 300 million Euro (+13.8%). Next in the ranking in terms of value are Huelva, with 281.1 million (+8%); Seville, with 166.4 million (+26.2%); Cadiz, with 108.7 million (+21.2%); Malaga, with 49 million (+7%); Granada, with 39.9 million (+52.6%); Cordoba, with 21.8 million (+11.5%); and Jaen, with 3.1 million (+29.4%).
The main products imported by the British market in those months have been raspberries (worth 126 million Euro), olive oil (107 million), strawberries (86.2 million), tomatoes (79.1 million), peppers (78.3 million) and cucumbers (63.4 million).
For the Councillor of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, Rodrigo Sánchez Haro, said these data confirm that despite the scenario of uncertainty caused by Brexit, Andalusian exports to the United Kingdom have continued to grow "thanks to the dynamism of the companies of our region, to their entrepreneurial spirit and to their efforts to continue positioning themselves in the overseas markets, in spite of the difficulties they must face."
These figures show that "we have a consolidated market thanks to the quality of the products we offer, enjoying highly loyal commercial relationships which will be strengthened by promotional actions."
The Council, through the working group set up by the Government of Andalusia to analyse and minimise the impact of Brexit in the autonomous region, remains vigilant with regard to the possible consequences of the departure of the United Kingdom from the EU, mainly when it comes to the decisions affecting the new Common Agricultural Policy and its budget adjustments.
Source: agrodiariohuelva.es
