Exports from Andalusia registered a total of 2023 million euros in the first quarter of 13.439

The non-energy trade balance registers a surplus of 3.482 million

Sales in the Andalusian foreign sector between January and April registered growth in four of the top five international markets, gaining presence in its first non-European destination, the United States, which has gained a position in the world ranking.

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Andalusian exports They registered a total of 2023 million euros in the first quarter of 13.439, with a decrease of 4,8% compared to the same period of the previous year. The main causes of this behavior are the drop in the international price of energy raw materials; the decrease in exports of the boat chapter, and the lower sales in tons of olive oil, due to lower harvests than the previous year, due to the drought.

La influence of the energy chapter also affects the trade balance, which, with a coverage rate of 97,1%, is less than three points away from balance, while, if only the non-energy trade balance is taken into account, Andalusia would obtain a surplus of 3.482 million euros, with a coverage rate of 144%. This is because a good part of the energy products that Spain buys abroad enter through Andalusia, negatively influencing its trade balance, even though they are consumed in other regions.

In the global calculation of the first quarter of 2023 also important growth stands out such as that of vegetables, of 9,6%, which remains the leading chapter in sales, ahead of fuels. In the destination of exports, the good performance of the first four markets in Andalusia stands out, three of them with double-digit growth: Germany, (+ 8,8%), France (+ 13,5%), Portugal (+14%) and United States (+ 11,6%). 

 

The result of the first quarter has had a notable impact on the record for the month of April, which, with 3.060 million euros exported, presented a drop of 21,8% compared to April 2022, for the reasons indicated above.

According to the latest data made public by Andalusia TRADE, Public Business Agency for Transformation and Economic Development, imports by Andalusia also fell during the first four months of the year, by 2,9%, to 13.840 million, which places the coverage rate at 97,1%, only 2,9 points away from the trade balance. (401 million), and 4,8 points above Spain, which maintains it at 92,3%, with a national trade deficit that amounts to 10.954 million euros.

Agricultural and industrial growth

The complex Andalusian agri-food industry maintains year-on-year growth, of 0,1%, reaching 5.456 million euros exported, a record figure despite the drought conditions that affect it. In fact, vegetables make up the chapter, the leader of total sales in Andalusia in this first quarter, with 2.123 million euros (15,8% of the total) and a growth of 9,6%.

Even so, the two chapters that grew the most in the Top 10 are industrial: copper and its manufactures, with 22,7% more than in the first quarter of 2022, up to 585 million, 4,4% of the total; and machinery, appliances and electrical material, sixth in the ranking, with 506 million euros (3,8% of the total) and an increase of 12,9%. 

The second most exported chapter was mineral fuels and mineral oils, with 2.025 million, 15,1% of the total, although with a decrease of 13,2%. In the agri-food sector, fruit, third in sales, decreased by 5%, with 1.275 million (9,5%); and olive oil, with 884 million euros and a decrease of 8%, a product that is part of the fourth chapter in exports, that of vegetable fats and oils (1.052 million, 7,8% of the total and a drop of 6,1. XNUMX%).

The seventh chapter in sales is that of metalliferous minerals, slag and ashes, with 503 million (3,7%) and a decrease of 7,6%; This is followed by various products from the chemical industries, with 455 million (3,4%) and a drop of 16,3%; aircraft and space vehicles, with 419 million (3,1%) and a decrease of 2,4%; and foundry, iron and steel, with 403 million (3%) and a decrease of 25,4%.

 

Within the Top 10 markets in Andalusia, Germany leads sales, with a bill of 1.632 million euros, 12,1% of the total and an improvement of 8,8%

 

 

Prices, ships and decrease in tons

The 4,8% decrease in Andalusian exports between the first four months of 2023 represents 674 million euros less in sales than in the first four months of 2022. There are three chapters that mainly lead to this decrease, as together they register 698 million euros less than in the same period of the previous year: that of mineral fuels and mineral oils; that of ships and other floating devices and that of function, iron and steel.

The fuel chapter has seen its sales reduced by 308 million, 44% of the total drop in Andalusian exports. This decrease in value does not correspond to the decrease in exported tons, which is only 1,1%, so it is motivated by a decrease in the international price of oil.

Regarding the ships chapter, in the first quarter of 2022, a sale of a ship to Saudi Arabia was recorded, for an amount of 262 million euros, which has not occurred in 2023, which motivates the year-on-year reduction of 94% of sales of this chapter, which It represents 37% of the total decrease in Andalusian exports.

The third chapter that most affects the general decline is foundry, iron and steel, which is also influenced by prices in international markets. It has seen the value of its sales reduced by 25,5%, which is 137 million less than in January-April 2022 or, in other words, the total drop in Andalusian exports by 21%.

It is also clearly influenced by the international fuel price the chapter of various products from the chemical industries, which has seen its sales drop by 16% (89 million euros). 93% of the value of this chapter corresponds to biodiesel, a product that has only reduced exported tons by 0,5% compared to the same period in 2022.

Other areas such as olive oil also influence the general decline, with exports dropping by 8%, to €884 million, mainly due to the strong drop experienced towards the Italian market, of 56%.

Four of the top five markets grow

Sales of the Andalusian foreign sector between January and April registered growth in four of the top five international markets, gaining presence in its first non-European destination, United States, which has gained a position in the world ranking, rising to fourth place, thanks to a growth of 11,6%, up to 1.102 million euros, 8,2% of the total. 

Within the Top 10 markets in Andalusia, it leads sales Germany, , with a bill of 1.632 million euros, 12,1% of the total and an improvement of 8,8%; follows France, with the second largest increase, of 13,5%, up to 1.512 million euros (11,3% of the total). The third market is Portugal which, with 1.225 million (9,1%), registers the largest increase, 14% compared to January-April 2022. It is followed by United States, with 1.102 million euros (8,2%), which also grew by double digits, 11,6%. 

In the rest of the European countries, decreases were recorded in this period: Italy It is the fifth destination, with 1.075 million (8%) and a decrease of 15,4%; followed by United Kingdom (6th), with 810 million (6% of the total) and a decrease of 4,3%; Netherlands, seventh by value of exports, with 728 million, 5,4%, which decreased by 25,2%; and Belgium, ninth, with 407 million (3%) and 22,2% less. Outside the European continent, Morocco It occupies eighth place with a bill of 491 million euros, 3,7% of the total, and a decrease of 22,6%; and China It is tenth, with 395 million (2,9% of the total) and 10,5% less. 

The behavior of the top 20 markets reveals progress in diversification of destinations in the Andalusian foreign sector: by country, the increases in Egypt (16th), 57%, up to 115 million euros; and  Brazil (13th), where exports are almost double that of the first four months of 2022 (+85%), up to 139 million euros. 

By continental markets, the performance of America stands out, where sales grew by 21,4% compared to the first quarter of 2022, up to 1.716 million euros. The progress is especially positive in South America with an increase of 72% to reach 327 million; followed by Central America and the Caribbean, with an increase of 16,4%, up to 194 million, and North America, where the growth is 13,1%, reaching 1,195 million euros in sales.

Huelva leads and Málaga is the one that grows the most

By province, the greatest increase corresponds to Malaga, with 17,5% more than January-April 2022, reaching historical sales of 1.044 million, 7,8% of the Andalusian total, which allows it to gain a position in the ranking compared to the first quarter of 2022, ranking as the fifth exporting province. 

Almería is the second province in growth and third in sales, also with a record number of exports, thanks to a year-on-year increase of 5,9%, up to 2.510 million euros exported, and 18,7% of the total for Andalusia. Seville also registers a growth in its sales of 4%, reaching 2.362 million (17,6% of the total); and Granada, is close to balance, with only 0,1% less than in the first quarter of 2022, up to 563 million (4,2%) and a decrease of 0,1%

Even so, Huelva continues to lead the Andalusian ranking in foreign turnover, with 2.957 million euros, 22% of the total and a decrease of 8,2%. Cádiz follows in the value of sales, with 2.650 million euros, 19,7% of the total, despite a decrease of 20% compared to the same period of the previous year. 

For its part, Córdoba registers exports worth 940 million euros, 7%, 5% less, and Jaén reached 414 million (3,1% of the total), with a drop of 9,1%. 

These data are derived from the figures of the Foreign Trade Statistics of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism prepared for Andalusia by the Observatory for the Internationalization of the Andalusian Economy of Andalusia TRADE.