I say this because, more or less, these are the months when the most significant campaigns start off in our country: the Almeria and Murcia fruit and vegetable campaigns, the apple season, the persimmon season, the citrus fruit campaign, etc.
Fruit Attraction is the guiding element both in Spain and, little by little, worldwide; but there is the paradox that Spanish exports are falling off, year after year. With the data in hand, in the first half of the year, our foreign sales dropped by 8%. And the growth in imports has turned into a trend. Over the same period, this increase reached 14%.
We need to draw attention to ourselves, as we may already be doing, but we are coming up against unavoidable elements, which are way above our possibilities and that are being cooked up over 1,000 kilometres from here, over in Brussels. There are many reasons behind this situation, with specific characteristics according to each crop; but it could be said that, day by day, our competitiveness on the international markets is dropping. Why? Without going into the subject in any depth, (as this could be enough for a complete debate in itself), the answer is simple: it is due to our costs and red tape, aspects that other non-European countries around us do not have to deal with.
If I knew what to do, I would tell you, but I haven’t the least idea. Additionally, we have political representatives and politicians who represent us to do this, although I fear, they are just as lost as I am.
In spite of everything, I would like to wish you a beneficial Fruit Attraction trade fair, managing to make our investment worthwhile.
