Spanish fresh produce exports nosedived in the three months after the country was wrongly pinpointed as the source of the
E. coli outbreak, new figures show.
José Maria Pozancos, director general of exporters’ association Fepex, cited new government figures showing year-on-year Spanish fresh produce exports were up 26 per cent in March and 27 per cent in April.
However following the E. coli bombshell in May exports fell by one per cent year on year in June, 16 per cent in July and five per cent in August, according to government statistics.
“There was a very disturbing lack of rigour in the [German officials’] evidence,” said Pozancos of the affair, adding that he did not feel the level of EU compensation had been sufficient, only covered a few products and did not take into account collateral damage affecting other fruit and vegetables.
