Catalonia's agri-food exports up 15.30%, topping €14 billion for the first time

PRODECA – Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda presented this morning the 2022 Catalan agri-food export figures, based on data published by the AEAT (Spanish Tax Agency). Catalonia has topped €14 billion in exports for the first time (€14,848.94 million), up 15.30% in value on 2021. The fall in volume (-4.23%) reflects low output in fruit and vegetables (because of weather) and in cereals and milling (directly affected by the conflict in Ukraine and used in 2022 for domestic consumption). Setting those two sectors aside, agri-food exports held steady in volume (+0.17%). Even so, the figure is better than the Spanish average (-6.01%) and in line with the EU.  

"Catalan food is in demand beyond our borders and more and more Catalan companies are able to offer very high quality products that compete on equal terms with a highly demanding global offer", said the Minister for Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda at the presentation of the figures, Teresa Jordà. "These figures show that Catalonia is a global food and drink export power, ahead of countries such as Portugal, Greece, Peru, Colombia, Sweden and Japan".

The agri-food sector drives Catalan exports as a whole and remains a motor of the Catalan economy (worth €43,088 million, the sector accounts for 19.2% of Catalan GDP). Proof of this is that one in every seven euros Catalonia exports comes from agri-food exports (15.64%). Catalonia's overseas agri-food sales currently equal 6.47% of Catalan GDP.

Catalonia maintains its agri-food trade surplus , first achieved in 2019, with a coverage ratio of 104.86% in 2022, thanks in part to improved efficiency and competitiveness among the sector's companies.

Catalonia again leads Spain's agri-food foreign trade and exports food above the Spanish average (+13.20%) and the EU average (+11.82%). Overseas sales of Catalan agri-food products in 2022 account for almost a quarter of Spain's total agri-food exports: 22.18%.

Sectors consolidate the shift from volume to value

Based on the Prodeca Index, which groups various TARIC subheadings into 7 subsectors to simplify the analysis of agri-food exports, every sector grew in value except fruit and vegetables (-4.35%), because of the drop in output caused by last year's frosts. The biggest export sectors remain meat and fine food , accounting for 35.25% and 28.70% respectively. 

Meat grew 13.88% in value and is becoming less dependent on the Chinese market , diversifying into others. China remains the main destination for Catalan pork, although that market has cut its global imports by 53% and Catalan imports by 35%. Pork (61.78% of the meat sector) held its export volume almost steady (-0.39%) and grew in value (+11.54%). Cured and processed meats grew strongly in both volume (+14.15%) and value (+22.98%).

The fine food remains the second largest export sector with turnover of €4,275.64 million, 18.42% more than in 2021, and volume up 3.65%.

Vegetable oils are in third place, displacing fruit and vegetables, now the fourth export sector. Olive oil stands out, accounting for 35.61% of the sector's business value and growing 38.66% in value and 12.42% in volume, helped by sales in the United States, where Catalonia has regained its leading positions in the oil market after overcoming the effects of the tariffs.

Cereals and milling fell in export volume (-10.63%) because of the cereal shortage caused by the conflict in Ukraine (the little cereal normally exported was generally used domestically). Value nevertheless rose 20.98% thanks to higher seed sales, which make up more than 77% of the cereals and milling sector's exports in both value (77.06%) and volume (77.10%).

The wine and cava sector as a whole grew 1.97% in value despite falling 2.77% in volume (the EU average volume fall was 8.67%; France cut its export volume by 9.97% and Italy by 7.41%).

Cava, for its part, is consolidating as the sector's driver , with 50.34% of value and 55.09% of export volume, growing 5.11% in value and 6.75% in volume. Wine, by contrast, fell 3.23% in value and 17.38% in volume because of declines in its two main destination markets, the United Kingdom and the USA, which together account for more than 28%. 

The fish and seafood sector consolidates its upward trend , growing for the second year running (13.52% in value and 15.39% in volume).

Catalonia exports food and drink to almost 200 countries

The number of destination countries remains stable (198). France remains the leading destination , while Italy becomes the second, overtaking China, which is third, followed by Germany, Portugal and the United Kingdom.

The EU continues to receive almost half of Catalan agri-food exports (55.85%), up 20.06%. The remaining exports (44.15%) go to third markets. There were significant increases in Latin America (39.03%), North America (28.47%), the Middle East (23.66%) and Oceania (60.01%), and slight falls in Africa (-1.34%) and Asia (-0.37%).

As for the number of exporting companies in the agri-food sector, Catalonia has 4.9% more regular exporters (those with at least four consecutive years of overseas sales), reaching 2,905 (+130 companies).

The agri-food sector commits to internationalisation

The agri-food sector has shown great export strength in recent years and is the only economic sector to have maintained sustained growth in international sales , overcoming the various setbacks affecting international trade. Catalan agri-food remains Catalonia's third largest exporting economic sector, behind semi-manufactures and capital goods, on which it has been closing the gap. 

Demonstrating its competitiveness in foreign markets through added value, over the last 10 years Catalan agri-food exports have grown 89.88% in value and 28.40% in volume. 

"Agri-food internationalisation and exports act as a driver for the primary market, since the processing industry looks for high-value local produce for the most demanding markets", said the Secretary for Food at the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda, Carmel Mòdol. ".