The year 2025 has seen a notable decline in Spanish fresh produce exports, with a 3 per cent drop in volume from January to November compared to the same period in the previous year.
This decrease resulted in a total export volume of 10.6 million tonnes.
The primary factor contributing to this decline is a significant 6 per cent reduction in vegetable exports, as reported by the Department of Customs and Special Taxes and processed by Fepex.
While vegetable exports faced challenges, fruit exports managed to remain stable, offering a glimmer of hope for the industry.
Vegetable exports for the 11-month period reached 4.7 million tonnes, marking a 6 per cent decrease from 2024 figures.
- 3% overall decline in Spanish fresh produce exports in 2025.
- Total export volume reached 10.6 million tonnes this year.
- Vegetable exports dropped by 6%, totaling 4.7 million tonnes.
- Fruit exports remained stable at 5.95 million tonnes.
- Export value increased due to a shift towards higher-value products.
Among the vegetables, cucumbers stood out with a 5 per cent year-on-year increase, reaching 658,535 tonnes, showcasing the strongest performance.
However, other key vegetables experienced declines; peppers saw a 7 per cent decrease to 648,708 tonnes, lettuce dropped by 1 per cent to 642,165 tonnes, and tomatoes faced the most substantial fall at 15 per cent, totaling 499,220 tonnes.
These decreases highlight the challenges faced by the Spanish vegetable sector in maintaining its export volumes.
On the fruit side, exports totaled 5.95 million tonnes, nearly identical to the 5.94 million tonnes exported in 2024.
Citrus fruits, particularly oranges, led the way with a 7 per cent increase, reaching 1 million tonnes.
Watermelon exports rose by 4 per cent to 818,674 tonnes, melons increased by 10 per cent to 370,379 tonnes, and strawberries climbed by 4 per cent to 263,384 tonnes.
Despite these gains, stonefruit exports showed declines, with nectarines down 2 per cent to 332,615 tonnes and Paraguayo peaches dropping 10 per cent to 183,571 tonnes, while peach exports remained stable.
Interestingly, while volume declined, the value of Spanish fresh produce exports grew by 5 per cent, reaching €16.60 billion.
Fruit exports alone accounted for €9.527 billion, an 8 per cent increase in value, while vegetable exports maintained their previous year’s value at €7.074 billion.
This growth in value despite a drop in volume indicates a potential shift towards higher-value products or pricing strategies.
The Spanish produce industry must navigate these challenges and opportunities to sustain its position in the global market.
