The Ministry has released the thirteenth edition of the publication "Analysis and Forecasting - Indicators Series," which collects the main figures that characterise the current status and recent developments in the Spanish food sector, this time focused on the analysis of the fisheries sector.
The paper analyses the production, processing and consumption of fishery products in Spain in comparison with 2008. That study found that:
- The Spanish fishing fleet is third of the EU in number of vessels, with a total of 10,116 vessels. The average vessel size is 38.1 tons gross tonnage (GT) and its average power is 117.2 kW. These indicators are superior to the whole European Union.
- 73 per cent of tonnage consists of trawlers and purse seiners, which represent only 18 per cent of all ships. Four per cent of vessels operating in Community or international fisheries, account for approximately 60 per cent of the total tonnage. The minor arts fleet is more than 75 per cent of vessels and less than seven per cent of the tonnage.
- Spain is the first country of the European Union in catches, with 812 652 tonnes in 2012 to reach a value of 1,784 million euros. From 2008 to 2012 catches have declined an average of 2.1 per cent per year and the value 1.1 per cent.
- The fishing income totaled €805.1 million in 2012, representing an increase of 4.46 per cent over the previous year. The variation between 2009 and 2012 also shows a sign ascend body with an average annual increase of 3.8 per cent. The fisheries sector in 2012 generated a gross added value of 913 million euros, up 1.25 per cent from the previous year.
- The fishing trade balance in Spain is traditionally negative. The latest data available in October 2013 indicates that imports were 1.700 million higher than exports in terms of 12 cumulative months.
- The fish industry earned a turnover in 2012 of €4.533 million, with an average annual growth since 2008 of 2.3 per cent. In this subsector operate 695 companies, accounting for 2.4 per cent of all food and beverage companies.
- The household expenditure on fishery products was €8.857 million in 2012, having fallen by 1.8 per cent on average per year since 2008.
Employment
The number of employed in the primary sector in the fourth quarter of 2013 amounted to 790,900 people, up 0.9 per cent yoy. In the same period, assets decreased by 1.2 per cent and 7.2 per cent unemployed.
Prices
The prices paid by consumers for food and non-alcoholic beverages were completed in December 2013 with an increase of 1.2 per cent over the previous year, in line with a downward trend that began in August. Similar behavior showed prices paid by farmers for goods consumption (seeds, fertilizers, feed, etc..) In August 2013 were down 3.9 per cent from last year. On the other hand, that same month, the prices perceived primary sector professionals for their products were higher by 11.8 per cent yoy.
Trade
Exports of agricultural and fishing sector amounted to €37.854 million in the period moving year between December 2012 and November 2013, up 4.2 per cent over the same period last year. Also, the trade balance improved by 44 per cent, reaching a trade surplus of €7,796 million.
