Catalonia breaks its agri-food export record

With €12,878.07 million and growth of 12.34% in value and 10.12% in volume on the previous year, the agri-food sector has broken its export record and remains a driver of the Catalan economy.

For the second year running, Catalonia leads Spain's agri-food exports, ahead of Andalusia, which had held that position until 2020. Catalan exports (+12.34%) continue to grow faster than the Spanish average (+10.70%).

Catalonia maintains the trade surplus achieved from the first half of 2019, with a coverage ratio of 118.88% for the whole of 2021: agri-food exports (€12,878.07 million) are slightly higher than imports (€10,832.98 million).

"The sector is increasingly aware of the need to add and convey value in our products. That effort is recognised by international markets, which give ever greater recognition to Catalan agri-food products", said Carmel Mòdol, Secretary for Food at the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda.

For his part, Prodeca's managing director, Ramon Sentmartí, said that "these results are the fruit of the push for internationalisation in recent years and of companies' commitment, and they consolidate the agri-food sector's leading role in Catalan foreign trade and as a driver of our economy".

Every agri-food sector grows in value and volume

Based on the Prodeca Index, meat is the leading export sector but the one whose exports grew least in 2021 (+0.17%), because of falling sales in China, the sector's leading destination market.

Second in Catalan agri-food exports is the multi-product or fine food sector. Unlike in 2020, its exports grew 18.05% in value and 13.87% in volume.

The export capacity of the fruit and vegetable sector places it third. The best-selling products abroad by value are citrus, peaches, nectarines, apples and pears.

The Oils are fourth with 7.85%. The category grew 42.42% in value and 17.19% in volume, totalling €1,010.66 million exported. Olive oil accounts for 36.43% of the sector, growing 6.47% in value while volume fell 12.18%.

The wine and cava sector breaks the downward trend of the last two years with a significant increase of 18.97% in value and 11.42% in volume on 2020. Cava accounts for almost half the sector's exports at 48.84%. Notable is the recovery of the US market , thanks especially to the EU-US decision to suspend for the next five years the tariffs previously imposed under the Trump presidency.

The Cereals, milling and seeds also grew 19.04% in value and 21% in volume.

Finally, the fish and seafood sector, in seventh place, breaks the downward trend and has the best volume-to-value ratio.

Catalonia exports food and drink to more than 190 countries

Catalonia exports mainly to European Union countries (53.64% of the total), up 11.40% on the previous year. Exports to third countries, 46.36% of the total, rose 31.25%, with increases in every region. Destinations such as the Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Algeria, Morocco, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey are gaining weight in agri-food exports.

As for the number of exporting companies in the agri-food sector, Catalonia has 2.2% more regular exporters, reaching 2,745 (those with at least four consecutive years of overseas sales).

From volume to value

These results consolidate the sector's trend over the last 10 years of prioritising value over volume in Catalan food exports: since 2011 Catalan agri-food exports have grown 86.39% in value and 53.16% in volume.