Fruit and vegetable exports from one of Spain’s most important production regions, Almeria, increased substantially during the first six months of 2010, thanks in the main to a rise in sales to major markets, including the UK, Germany and France.
Between January and June this year, fruit and vegetable exports increased by 4.5 per cent and 10.9 per cent respectively, compared with the same period a year before, according to data from Andalusian export agency Extenda.
During the first semester, Almerian companies achieved export sales totaling over €1.3m, which represented 14 per cent of total exports from Andalusia region and the province’s second best result in the last five years, reports La Voz de Almeria.
According to the figures, Almeria’s exports to its nine principal external markets rose markedly during the six month period, with notable increases in France (12.3 per cent), the UK (30.7 per cent), the Netherlands (7.8 per cent) and Germany (5.5 per cent).
The only major fall in exports was experienced in Italy, where sales were down by 11 per cent compared with the same stage of 2009.
