Spain: Fruit and vegetable sales to China decline in first half of the year while imports soar

In the first half of 2024, Spanish exports of fresh fruit and vegetables to China decreased by 6% to 5.9 million euros, while imports from China surged by 65% to 6.6 million euros. Spain exported 3,661 tonnes to China, a slight 1% decrease, and imported 4,823 tonnes, a 34% increase. Despite these changes, China only represents 0.2% of Spain's total fruit and vegetable imports. Exporting to China involves complex bilateral negotiations and specific phytosanitary protocols. Notably, China remains the world's largest producer of fruit and vegetables, with over 789 million tons produced in 2022.

Spanish exports of fresh fruit and vegetables to China in the first half of this year amounted to 5.9 million euros, 6% less than in the same period in 2023, while imports stood at 6.6 million euros, 65% more. Specifically, sales to the Asian country from January to June 2024 stood at 3,661 tonnes, 1% less than in the same period in 2023. As for Spanish imports of fruit and vegetables from China, they stood at 4,823 tonnes in the first half of this year, with a growth of 34% compared to the same period of the previous year. China represents 0.2% of total Spanish fruit and vegetable imports, which stood at 2.2 million tonnes and 2,576 million euros in the first half of this year, according to data from the Customs and Excise Department, processed by Fepex. The export of fruit and vegetables from the EU to China is managed through bilateral negotiations between each Member State and the Asian country, directly, and requires the negotiation of bilateral protocols that include the ...