According to the datas published by the Spanish General Administrative Office of Customs last September, the exports of fruit and vegetables directed to the United States were 13.016 tons, 9.669 tons of which consisted in fruit, mainly mandarins, and 3.347 tons of vegetables, marking a -5% compared to the same period in 2011. Therefore, the decreasing trend has been confirmed. In fact, in 2011 a -11% compared to 2010 had been registered, for a total of 57.415 tons.
On the whole, the downturn of fruit and vegetables exports towards the U.S.A. doesn’t limit to Spain. All the Community exports destined to the American Country report a slight drop. According to the datas released by Eurostat, the fruit and vegetables exports of European Countries in 2011 was of 113.082 tons, decreasing compared to the 115.825 tons of 2010, while until September of this year the volumes marked 48.872 tons, in line with the ones registered during the same period of 2011 (48.347 tons).
The European Commission is trying to establish a free trade agreement with the United States. A high level group made of representatives of both sides has elaborated a preliminary report last June and is working on a final report to start the negotiations. In 2013, a bilateral meeting will be called during which the terms to start the negotiations will be defined. To reach a free trade agreement would allow an opening from the US market to European fruit and vegetables which is now closed because of phytosanitary barriers.
Read more: Green Med Journal - The Mediterranean Fresh Produce Magazine
No comments:
Post a Comment