Andalusia reaches its export record and leads food and beverage sales in 2016, with a growth of 12,9%

Ahead of Catalonia

For the first time, the community surpasses the 10.000 billion barrier with growth in the current decade of 40% and 1.565 regular exporters, 3,2% more than in 2015.

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Andalucía led national sales of agri-food products and beverages abroad in 2016, reaching 10.028 million euros, a historical record figure in exports of the sector, according to data from Extenda-Andalusian Foreign Promotion Agency, entity dependent on the Ministry of Economy and Knowledge.

 

This figure represents a increase in exports 12,9% compared to 2015 and almost one in four euros (23%) exported by Spain, in front of Catalonia (21,7%) and Valencian Community (12,9%), which are growing at a slower rate or decreasing, with an increase of 5,4% and a decrease of -2,8%, respectively. Furthermore, these data represent a growth of the sector in the current decade (2010-2016) of 40%, more than 500 million more each year.

 

Thus, Andalucía maintains the national export leadership in food and beverages, achieved in 2015, with significant growth in non-EU markets that provide diversification, such as China, in Asia, with an increase of 41%, and in America, United States, with an increase of 28%, in addition to the 69% increase in Australia.

 

This market diversification is a fundamental part of the strategy to support the internationalization of the sector developed by the Ministry of Economy and Knowledge through extend, which has carried out hundreds of actions linked to the agri-food and beverage sector with the participation of 946 Andalusian companies in 2016, which is equivalent to three out of every five regular Andalusian export firms. 

 

With these figures, the Andalusian agri-food complex demonstrates its competitiveness in the world, contributing to the balance of trade a positive balance of 6.231 million euros in this period, which represents 58% of the surplus of this sector at the national level (10.825 million). This balance means that in Andalucía the exports of these products in 2016 almost tripled the number of imports, yielding a coverage rate of 264%, practically double the national average (133%).

 

With this trend, the Andalusian agri-food and beverage sector presents once again record figures in the international market and accounts for four out of every ten euros, more than a third (39% of the total) of the Andalusian exports in this period (25.648 million), and with an increase of 12,9%, more than double (a growth 7 points higher than the national one) of the increase experienced by Spanish sales (5,9%).

 

 

Europe is the main destination for Andalusian exports in the agri-food and beverage sector, since in 2016 eight of the top ten markets were European

 

 

Andalusian agri-food exporting companiesIn 2016 there were a total of 3.579, 1% more than in 2015, of which 1.565 were regular exporters, that is, they exported more than four years in a row, a figure that also grew by 3,2 compared to last year. XNUMX%.

 

Almería, in the lead, and Jaén, the one that grows the most

 

In 2016 all provinces experienced growth in their exports. Almeria takes the lead by concentrating almost a third of regional sales abroad, up to 2.622 million (26,1% of the total), presenting a growth of 8,4%. They are followed, with 2.529 million (25,2% of the total) and a growth of 15,9%, Seville; and Huelva, the second fastest growing province, whose sales increased by 20,2%, reaching 1.241 million (12,1% of the total).

 

In fourth place is Malaga, registering exports worth 1.042 million, which represents 10,4% of the total and an increase of 19,9% ​​compared to 2015, the third best growth of this period. They are followed by Córdoba (9,1% of the total) with 916 million euros, which is almost the same, with an increase of 0,2%; Granada (7%), with 703 million and an increase of 6%; Cadiz (6,8%), with 682 million and a growth of 9,1%. In addition, Jaen (3,2%), with 321 million, it is the province that grew the most in this period with an increase of 61%.

 

Main markets

 

Europe It is the main destination for Andalusian exports in the agri-food and beverage sector, since in 2016 eight of the top ten markets were European. Furthermore, in this period the first ten countries and eighteen of the first twenty have grown. Germany, It was the first market for Andalusian sales last year, with 1.576 million euros, 15,7% and an increase of 13,3% compared to 2015; followed by France, with 1.255 million (12,5%) and an increase of 11,1%; and Italy, with 1.216 million and an increase of 5,7%.

 

In fourth place was United Kingdom, with 1.011 million, which grew by 17,2%; followed by Portugal, with 797 million and an increase of 12,9%; and USA, first non-EU destination in sixth place, with 684 million, which rose 28%. In seventh position are the Netherlands, with 680 million and an increase of 6,5%; followed by China (244 million), which grows 41%; Belgium (234 million), which grew by 8,6%; and Poland (187 million), which rose 14,4%.