ALMERIA’S agricultural sector exported 1,817 million euros between January and August of this year. The record number is 12.9% more than last year.
The figures, released by the Minister of Economy and Information, Antonio Ramírez de Arellano, means that one in every two euros generated from international fruit and vegetable sales are from Andalucia and Almería.
Ramírez de Arellano stressed that innovation and technological improvements have changed the mentality of the Almerian business community that has led them to greater competitiveness in global markets.
The minister pointed out that the Andalucian Government is working with the sector to minimise and mitigate the effects of uncertainties such as those generated by Brexit.
Ramírez de Arellano also referred to Almeria exports and the sector’s contribution to make Andalusia the leader in agricultural exports in the country worth 3.853 billion euros, or 39% of foreign trade in this sector. In second place is the Valencian Community with 2,313 million euros, 23.4% of the total while the third is Murcia with 1.919 million euros, 19.4% of the total.
The weight of Almeria in Spain accounts for 18.4% of the total, very close to Murcia, the third autonomous region exporting, and surpassing communities that continue in the ranking to Andalusia, as Catalonia (whose sales to the outside represent 7.2% of the total).
As regards the markets for which the products are sold, the European Union is the reference destination for the fruit and vegetable production of the province with Germany at the top, with 576 million euros in sales between January and August, 32% of the total and a 12% increase.
