Growth in Imports and Dependency on Non-EU Countries
According to recent data from the industry association FEPEX, Spain's fruit and vegetable imports reached an impressive 2.5 million tons, valued at €3.086 billion, in the first half of 2026. This marks a notable increase of 6.8% in volume and 4.4% in value compared to the same period in 2025. The trends observed over the past few years indicate a growing reliance on fruits and vegetables sourced from non-EU countries, which now account for 54% of the total import volume and over 72% of the import value. During this timeframe, countries outside the European Union solidified their leading position, supplying approximately 1.4 million tons, representing a 7% increase from the previous year's figures. The monetary value of these imports also rose by 7%, totaling €2.23 billion, with non-EU countries contributing significantly to the overall import statistics.
Key Suppliers and Import Dynamics
Among the non-EU suppliers, Morocco remains the most significant contributor in terms of value. In the first half of 2026, Spain's imports from Morocco amounted to €950 million, reflecting a 6% increase compared to the same period in 2025. However, the volume of imports from Morocco saw a slight decrease of 7%, totaling 351,118 tons. Following Morocco, Peru ranked second with an import value of €289 million and a quantity of 150,622 tons, while Costa Rica followed closely with €182 million and 224,725 tons, making it the second most important non-EU supplier in terms of volume. Other notable non-EU suppliers included Brazil, contributing €121 million and 97,484 tons; Chile, with €107 million and 58,313 tons; and Egypt, which delivered over 107,000 tons valued at €60 million.
On the other hand, imports from EU member states constituted 46% of Spain's total imports. In the first half of 2026, Spain imported 1.18 million tons from other EU countries, a 7% increase from the same period in 2025. However, the value of these imports decreased by 2.6%, amounting to €856 million. Thus, while the EU accounted for 46% of the total volume, it represented only 28% of the total import value of Spain's fruit and vegetable imports. Within the EU, France strengthened its position as the leading source of Spain's imports, supplying more than half of the total EU import volume at 657,918 tons, with a monetary value of €211.5 million. The Netherlands followed with 149,003 tons worth €142.6 million, and Portugal contributed 138,094 tons valued at €194.3 million. Italy also played a significant role, providing nearly 100,000 tons with a value of €135.8 million.
As reported by fruchthandel.de.
