Spain has maintained its place as the world’s leading fruit and vegetable exporter, with a 9 per cent share of the total market, equivalent to 9.1m tonnes each year.
Tomatoes and mandarins continue to form the bulk of the country’s fresh produce exports at 880,630 tonnes and 1.6m tonnes, according to figures released by the United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO).
However, in a statement, Spanish fresh produce federation Fepex claimed that new policies were needed from the country’s government that were adapted to current market conditions if Spain is to continue as the leading global exporter.
The nearest rivals to Spain’s position as top fruit and vegetable exporter, according to the FAO data, are the Netherlands and the US, at 7.3m tonnes and 6.4m tonnes respectively, followed by China, Ecuador, Mexico and Chile.
