It may be better known for its vegetable production, but the Spanish province of Almería exported 20 per cent more citrus during the first semester of 2011 compared with the same period a year before.
The province, part of the southern Andalusia region, sold a total of 16,700 tonnes of primarily oranges and clementines during the first six months of the year, up from 14,000 tonnes during the first half of 2010.
According to data released by Spain’s Institute for External Trade, turnover for the period reached €10.5m, an increase of 1 per cent from the year before, with Germany, followed by Italy and France, the principal export destinations.
Despite this, Almería remains a long way behind Spain’s main citrus producing regions, Valencia and Castellón, which together continue to account for around 72 per cent of total export sales.
