MADRID: In November, Spanish fruit and vegetable imports grew by 16% in volume and 30% in value compared to the same month of 2014, totalling 237,587 tonnes and 179 million Euro, according to data supplied by the Directorate General of Customs and processed by FEPEX.
There has been an overall increase in the import of all products. Vegetables totalled 118,022 tonnes (+14%) and EUR 74 million (+54%). The most noteworthy cases were those of potatoes, with 76,928 tonnes imported (+40%) worth 25.7 million Euro (+143%) and green beans, with 10,318 tonnes (+17%) and 16.5 million Euro (+45%).
Meanwhile, fruit imports in November totalled 119,565 tonnes (+17%) and EUR 105 million (+17%). The most considerable growth was that of apples, with 21,572 tonnes (+48%) and 14 million Euro (+ 38%), and bananas, with 22,936 tonnes (+1%) and 14 million Euro (+5.5%).
This data reinforces the upward trend of Spanish fruit and vegetable imports in recent years, especially since 2013. Looking at the total figures between January and November 2015, we see that fruit and vegetable imports totalled 2.3 million tonnes, 6.5% more than in the same period last year, and that the value grew by 17%, reaching 1,766 million Euro. Overseas purchases of vegetables stood at 1 million tonnes (+12%) and 561 million Euro (+24%) and fruits totalled 1.2 million tonnes (+2%) worth 1,205 million Euro (+14%).
