The fruit and vegetable sector plays a crucial role in agricultural production, representing more than 70% of the value of vegetable production and 38% of agricultural production, and provides employment to more than 500,000 people. However, it faces serious threats to its competitiveness due to stricter regulations, especially regarding the reduction of phytosanitary products, which is not on par with standards in third countries. Moreover, high labor and bureaucratic costs increase cheaper imports, complicating penetration into new markets at competitive prices. From the Federation of Producers and Exporters, concerns are expressed about how these conditions negatively impact their ability to compete internationally, not only due to European regulations, but also due to the difficulty in accessing phytosanitary product uses that are permitted outside the EU.
Despite these challenges, the sector continues to stand out as a strong exporter, with a projected 6% increase in exports in 2024, reaching 12 million tonnes and surpassing 14 billion euros in value. The most exported products include oranges, cucumbers, lettuces, peppers, and tomatoes, mainly to European countries. On the other hand, the sector also shows an upward trend in imports, with an increase of 6.6% in volume and 12% in value, influenced by products such as potatoes and onions from France and the Netherlands, and tomatoes from Morocco. Nevertheless, exports face sanitary and tariff barriers that limit their access to large markets such as the United States, while price pressure reflects a decline due to increasing external competition.
Read the full news article on The Country.
