La Riojan economy The year 2025 has begun with positive signs in the field of foreign trade. According to data published by the Statistics Institute of La Rioja, exports of the community reached 190,1 million euros in January, which represents an increase of 3,7% compared to the same month last year.
This growth in foreign sales contrasts with an even more significant increase in imports, which totaled €161,6 million, experiencing a notable increase of 37,9% year-on-year. Despite this imbalance, La Rioja managed to maintain a positive trade balance of 28,5 million euros in the first month of the year.
La European Union It continues to be the main destination for Riojan exports, representing 71,2% of the total. France remains the main client, absorbing 21,2% of foreign sales, followed by Portugal (14,3%) and Germany, (10,5%).
In terms of sectors, the industry manufacturing The country dominates exports, accounting for 96,9% of the total. The food industry is particularly notable, accounting for 23,1% of foreign sales and experiencing year-on-year growth of 17,6%. It is followed in importance by beverage manufacturing (12,4%) and metal product manufacturing (10,7%).
Institutional sources consulted in La Rioja have stated: “These figures demonstrate the resilience of the Riojan export sector, which continues to grow despite global economic challenges. However, the significant increase in the imports It deserves close monitoring in the coming months."
La Rioja's coverage rate stood at 117,6%, far exceeding the national average of 82,8%. This indicates that, despite the sharp increase in imports, the region maintains a favorable trade position compared to Spain as a whole.
In the national context, La Rioja is positioned as one of the autonomous communities with the best performance in exports, showing positive growth compared to falls in regions such as Navarra (-20,6%) or Aragon (-18,1%).
The beginning of 2025 therefore presents a mixed outlook for the Rioja foreign trade, with moderate export growth offset by a more pronounced increase in imports. The coming months will be crucial to determine whether this trend consolidates or whether the region's trade balance can be rebalanced.
Any questions about this news?
Talk to Coexia, the AI of the foreign trade
