According to data from the Customs and Excise Department, the value of Spanish fruit and vegetable exports outside Europe fell by 13.5% in 2020 compared to the previous year, totaling 519 million Euro. Sales to these countries represented 4% of the total value of Spain's exports last year, which stood at 14,594 million Euro, with decreases in the main non-European destinations, such as Canada, with 79 million Euro (-19%), or Brazil, with 56.4 million Euro (-43%). One of the most notable decreases has been that of China, where exports of fruit and vegetables fell by 76%, reaching a value of 11.2 million euros, compared to 46.3 million in 2019. Meanwhile, exports to non-EU European countries grew by 22%, totaling 1,092 million Euro. Switzerland, with 322 million Euro (+25%), and Norway, with 140 million Euro (+19%), are the main destinations.
As for the EU, the export value of fresh fruit and vegetables stood at 14,502 million Euro; 8% more than in 2019, and represented 92.5% of the total. Germany and France remain the top destinations, with 4,073 million Euro (+14%) and 2,550 million Euro (+ 9%), respectively. FEPEX says that the reduced volume and value of Spanish fruit and vegetable exports outside the EU and European markets has been exacerbated in 2020 by COVID. Transport to distant countries has been greatly complicated by restrictions and by the decrease in the number of trips, both by ship and by plane, which has caused transit times to become longer and for some exports not to be feasible.