catalan exports

Foreign sales reached 6.8 billion euros, contributing to a 2.6% rise since the start of the year

The Regulatory Council admits expectations were "too optimistic" and a boycott from the political situation in 2017 also hampered sales

Foreign sales by companies in Catalonia rose for eighth year in a row to €71bn

Chemical sector continues to lead sales abroad, followed by capital goods and automobiles

Sales from Catalonia abroad reached 6,273 million euros, representing 24.8% of the total of the State

Figures for Catalan sales abroad during first quarter up 4.5% compared to last year

Growing sales abroad is a continuing trend in Catalonia, now reaching 25.4% of Spain's total amount

Overseas Catalan sales account for more than 25% of Spanish total

Catalan exports totalled €65.14 billion in 2016 and set a new record for the sixth consecutive year, according to data released by the Spanish Ministry for Economy and Competitiveness. The figure not only represents a 2% increase in comparison to last year but a higher growth than that registered in the whole of Spain (1.7%) and the Eurozone (0.17%). Thus, Catalonia continues to lead exports in the whole of Spain. This good trend is the result of “the persistent and permanent efforts of Catalan companies, which are amongst the most internationalised in our environs”, explained Catalan Secretary for Business and Competitiveness, Joan Aregio. The sectors which grew the most in 2016 in terms of exports were equipment goods (+10.4%), followed by chemical products (+1.3%). On the other hand, exports in the automotive sector fell by 0.4%.

Exports from companies based in Catalonia reached €48.58 billion during the first 9 months of 2016, a 2.1% increase compared to the same period last year. According to the Spanish Ministry for Economy and Competitiveness, this figure sets a new historic high for Catalonia’s export sector, which has been growing strongly over the last few years. Moreover, in September Catalan exports were worth €5.7 billion, which is the highest figure for this month since the beginning of the historic series, in 2000. The sectors that contributed the most to the positive export figures were the chemical sector, which concentrated 60.8% of total exports, followed by equipment goods and the automotive sector. On the other hand, Catalonia’s trade deficit between January and September rose by 0.5% in comparison to the same period in 2015 and totalled €9.2 billion. 

Catalan exports were worth more than 15,500 million euros in the third quarter, representing a record 5% increase over the same period last year. From January to September, the amount of sales abroad by Catalan companies was worth 47,567 million euros, 6.29% more than in the same period last year. The leading sector in terms of exports during the first nine months of the year was the chemical sector, which was worth 12,662 million euros and increased by 6.1% compared to the same period last year. Capital goods came second in the ranking, totalling 8,015 million euros. However, the sector which grew the most was the automobile industry, increasing by 16% in comparison to the first nine months of 2014. In Spain as a whole, exports grew by 4.4% from January to September and also set a historic figure.

Catalan exports grew 7.4% in July and exceeded the €6,000 million barrier for the first time. The total figure was €6,086.30 million and the 4 regions in Catalonia (Barcelona, Girona, Tarragona and Lleida), all obtained positive results, according to the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Sales increased in the leading export sectors, which involve chemical, automotive and capital goods, with the automotive sector recording the highest increase, up 18.2% compared to last July. Since the beginning of this year, every month has recorded the best performance in export volume and if this trend keeps up, 2015 will be a  record year. In Spain as a whole, exports in July were worth 148,000 million euros, the best month ever recorded.

Catalan companies sold abroad some €31,899.9 million worth of goods and services between January and June this year, which represents a 7.16% increase on the figures from the first six months of 2014, according to information released on Tuesday by the Spanish Ministry for the Economy and Competitiveness. Catalan exports have never before reached such a high sales volume for a six-month period. Not only this, the level of international sales registered during June alone also broke all previous records for this month, coming in at €5,662.1 million. Indeed, almost month after month Catalonia's export records were broken during the first half of this year and the Catalan economy has seen exports rocket during the last 3 years. In Spain as a whole, international sales have also broken all previous records in the first half of 2015, reaching 125,122.9 million, a 4.9% growth on figures from the first 6 months of 2014. Thus, the Catalan economy generated 25.49% of Spain's total exports, while representing 19% of its GDP and 16% of its population.

The Port of Barcelona has been opening new regular routes for container transportation in the last few months, improving the connections with strategic markets in the Americas, Asia, West Africa and the Mediterranean area. An example of this trend is the new route served by MNM African Shipping Line, a company founded this year based in the port of Tanger-Med and working for transport and logistics firms from Morocco and Nigeria. This new line will be using vessels with a 2,500 TEU container capacity to connect the Catalan capital with major ports in North and West Africa such as Tangier, Casablanca, Agadir, Nouakchott, Dakar, Conakry, Lagos, Tema and Abidjan, covering an area with some 300 million people.

This May, Catalan exports increased by 4.5% on the same period in 2014, reaching €5,301.7 million and setting a new record as the best May since 2000 (when comparable data started to be collected), according to figures published on Thursday by the Spanish Ministry for the Economy and Competitiveness. Imports also rose, by 2.7% to €6,331.2 million. The chemical industry accounted for €1,433.9 million, increasing by 7.1%, followed by the car industry, represented €882.5 million and a 6% growth. In contrast, exports in capital goods fell by 7.1% (€892.8 million). In the whole of Spain, exports increased by 1.9%, totalling €21,025 million and breaking a new record for a month of May since the beginning of the historical series in 1971.