MADRID: The new data was released by FEPEX, the Spanish Federation of Associations of Producers and Exporters of fruits, vegetables, flowers and live plants, based on calculations from the Directorate of Customs.
According to the same data, imports of Moroccan beans and fruits to Spain have increased a total of 221% in the last 5 years according to FEPEX. In 2012 they recorded a total of 128.7 million euros, and in 2016 the figure increased to 413.3 million euros spent on Moroccan produce.
Moroccan produce currently represents 18 % of fruit and vegetable imports in Spain. In 2016 vegetable imports alone reached 237.6 million euros. According to FEPEX, this represents an increase of 14 % when compared to 2015. They specified that 132 million euros corresponded to beans and 32.4 million euros to tomatoes.
The importation of fruit to Spain has also demonstrated growth, totaling 176 million euros. This is 36 percent more than the previous year during the same season. Raspberries increased by 60 percent, blueberries 32 percent and strawberries by 38 percent.
France follows Morocco with 13.6 percent of Spain’s total fruit and vegetable imports. Overall in 2016, the Spanish fruit and vegetable import total increased 17 percent, according to the information released by customs and analyzed by the FEPEX.
