Spain’s fruit and vegetable sector continues to expand in Asia

Exports of Spanish vegetables and fruits to mainland China and Hong Kong continue their spectacular expansion, exceeding €34 million euros in 2017, which represents a growth of 31% compared to 2016 and a 1,373% cumulative increase in the last five years. With the opening of the Chinese market in 2016 to Spanish exports of stone fruit and the consolidation of citrus exports, authorised since 2007, the Asia Pacific area is of great importance for the Spanish fruit and vegetable sector. China has a growing middle-high class with an interest in Western products and a broad consumer base of Western expatriates. Moreover, the country’s cold logistics have greatly improved, and there has been a fall in the cost of both sea and air transport.

At Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong, 28 Spanish companies took part. By province, the companies came from Murcia (9), Valencia (5), Zaragoza (3), Almería (2), Cáceres (2), Huelva (2), Castellón (1), Córdoba (1), Granada (1) ), Huesca (1) and Málaga (1).