Portugal Fresh’s estimates for 2019 indicate that Portuguese exports should be in excess of 1600 million euros, a 105% growth compared to the figures in 2010, a year in which there wasn’t yet any joint promotion strategy and sales to foreign markets accounted for 780 million euros.
Portugal Fresh disclosed these figures during Fruit Logistica, which is taking place in Berlin until Friday, and in which 32 Portuguese companies and organisations are participating - an initiative that is part of the internationalization project promoted by the association.
Gonçalo Santos de Andrade, chairman of Portugal Fresh states: “The evolution has been remarkable. In the first joint presence in 2011, under the Portugal Fresh umbrella, 23 companies decisively contributed to this strategy for promoting this sector’s products, giving Portugal a visibility and notoriety never seen before. On its 10th consecutive joint presence in the largest fruit and vegetables fair in the world, the positive export results show that the concentration in the offer, the scale creation and the union of efforts for global promotion is a clear and direct indication of the productive capacity of our economy. There’s a wide recognition from our major global clients, from different geographies, that our products have distinctive characteristics in terms of color, taste and aroma, and that producers from Portugal consistently deliver high quality products with very high food safety standards, at a very professional service”.
As was the case in 2010, Spain is still the main customer for Portuguese fruits, vegetables and flowers. In 2019, between January and November, exports to the neighbouring country reached 447 million euros, up 90% compared to the same period in 2010.
Germany, on the other hand, went from being the seventh biggest destination in 2010 to the fifth, and from 26 million euros to over 104 million during that period. This is one of the priority markets for Portugal Fresh, besides France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Brazil and Italy.
Countries such as India, Indonesia and China are also on the sector’s radar, as it has organised promotion initiatives with the aim of achieving export opportunities. Portugal Fresh is present at a number of Portuguese and international trade fairs to promote Portuguese fruits, vegetables and flowers, such as Fruit Attraction in Madrid, Fresh Produce India and Asia Fruit Logistica.
The Portuguese products with the highest sales in foreign markets are berries, pears and oranges.
