America is happening escape route for the province’s exports Considering the scenario of instability shaped in Europe as a result of the war, inflation and energy crisis in Ukraine. Community markets are still resisting, but all indications are that they will soon begin to suffer, so all eyes are on the North American country. And for now the results are encouraging, because Alicante companies In the first eight months of the year, they managed to increase their sales by 25% in this destination., up to 300 million euros. Moreover, everything is in a context where the foreign trade of the province continues its upward trend despite the complex international situation.
According to the data provided by the Provincial Directorate of Commerce, exports from the province of Alicante reached the end of August this year. 4,687 million eurosThis represents a significant increase compared to 3,955 in the same period of the previous year. The recovery of the shoe in recent months is largely responsible for this increase. So much so that its foreign sales, which were 765 million last year, reached 901 million in these eight months. The agri-food sector is also trending upwards, as illustrated a year ago with 390 million for processed fruit and nuts and 184 million for canned vegetables and fruit, from 309 million and 167 million a year ago, respectively. Legumes and vegetables, with 328 million compared to 384, are the only section faltering in this sector.
They also follow plastic materials and their manufacture., with 301 million compared to 254 a year ago; aluminum and its producers, 272 million compared to 199; and machinery and mechanical devices, with 124 million more than 105 million sold a year ago. Toys are improving slightly, reaching 91 million in eight months, just one more than the same period in 2021.
In any case, one of the most striking elements of the latest statistics is the destination of exports, particularly due to the remarkable increase in sales to the United States. It is a market that has always been the favorite of the main sectors of the province, especially shoes, but it is currently gains more importance due to instability scenario It is offered by European markets.
They are currently resisting and even growing, as evidenced by exports to Germany, which is the state’s main customer, from 599 million last year to 678 million this year, or from 458 to 522 million. . But all indications point to a period of recession, as predicted by the uprisings on French soil, or The financial crisis broke out in the UK as a result of the economic reforms promoted by the new prime minister, Liz Truss.
The efforts of Alicante companies in the US market are starting to yield remarkable results in this very scenario, benefiting above all from the relaxation of tariff policies affecting the footwear industry.
Marián Cano, president of the Valencian Footwear Entrepreneurs Association, points out that in the North American country, the industry’s main non-EU destination, they recorded 18% growth through August. a strategic market for our internationalization and growth plansThe representative of the shoe manufacturers also points out that 300 million consumers in the USA “makes this an attractive place to sell our products, buyers are looking for products that we specialize in, in the mid to high range made in Spain.”
Salvador Navarro, president of the Valencian Community Business Confederation (CEV), confirmed that companies are insisting more on entering the United States because “they have almost come out of the recession there, in Europe. Two very complex quarters have been declared”.