Spanish fruit and vegetable exports to Canada have risen sharply under the European Union’s Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada.
Trade data shows that table grapes, avocados, mangos, melons and citrus are among the biggest winners under the trade deal, which came into force a year ago last week.
“CETA has had a strong impact on the Spanish fruit and vegetable sector during the first year of its application, with export volumes growing by almost 90 per cent in the first six months of 2018,” Fepex said.
“Sales have reached more than €40m and could reach €100m by the end of the year, almost double last year’s €57m total.”
Jochen Müller, deputy director of the European Commission, said the figures reflected the growth opportunities created by trade agreements signed by the EU.
Speaking at a meeting in Málaga last week, Müller said exporters could expect to make further gains once the EU’s agreement with Japan, the third biggest economy in the world, comes into force next April.
'We have achieved very important market openings that will greatly benefit Europe and Spain,' said Müller, stressing that there would be a significant drop in tariffs once the EU-Japan trade deal is in place that would save the EU billions of euros.
Overall, European exports have increased by 12 per cent under CETA during the past year.
