Alicante’s export activity is holding firm despite inflation and ongoing economic uncertainty sparked by geopolitical tensions. The sector is maintaining momentum, slightly accelerating its pace month over month. In May, foreign sales reported by Alicante companies reached 649 million euros, marking a 31.6% rise compared with the same month a year earlier and surpassing the 23.8% growth recorded in April.
Year to date, international shipments in the first five months total 2,971 million euros, up 20.6% from the previous year. In this context, exports from Alicante have already surpassed pre-pandemic levels by 508 to 641 million euros, illustrating a robust rebound. Yet business leaders caution that much of the profitability tied to higher sales is being eroded by rising costs, a concern voiced by associations including Avecal, Asaja, and Ibiae.
Regionally, the expansion is slightly below the 22% regional rise and just under the national average of 24.4% during the same period.
The growth across export sectors is broadly positive versus last year, with many products resuming pre-Covid figures. Footwear remains the province’s top export, totaling 577 million euros from January to May, up 18.8%, signaling a sustained recovery after two challenging years sparked by the pandemic disruptions.
Inflation slows Alicante families spending recovery
The latest results come as manufacturers completed several summer collection cycles. The main concern for the sector is September; if inflation endures and consumer demand tightens, spending could face renewed pressure. Marian Canopints, president of the Valencian Association of Shoe Entrepreneurs (Avecal), notes that manufacturers have absorbed higher material and energy costs to keep prices stable, a strategy that squeezes margins. [Source: Avecal, Asaja, Ibiae]
In other sectors, agriculture and food industry activity remains steady despite recent shocks, with vegetable shipments reaching 256 million euros by May, a 10% rise, while fresh fruit totals 248.4 million euros, up 3.1%, and another 105 million euros in related goods, showing resilience amid variable weather. According to Ram Espinosa, the technical secretary of Asaja, March and April rains benefited some crops such as broccoli and artichokes but harmed others, underscoring ongoing price pressures at origin that are passed through to stores. He also notes that higher costs touch all activities, even as some prices at the point of sale hold relatively firm compared with prior years.
Among the main export categories, plastic items reached 189.4 million euros, up 22.2% amid strong demand in food packaging and household product manufacturing. Plumbing components and other construction-related items also grew, driven by renewed renovations, though rising raw material costs temper profitability.
Other sectors show notable gains: aluminum products reached 170.2 million euros, a 38.5% increase due to revaluations of the material; machinery exports totaled 74.5 million euros, up 16.2%; furniture shipments rose 20.4% to 60.8 million; and marble, after years of softness, gained 7.6% to nearly 44 million. The toy industry, however, did not share in the broader upswing, with exports virtually flat at 53.5 million euros, up just 0.4%. This contrasts with national performance over the same period.
Finally, vehicle exports held steady at 73.6 million euros, while fuels sold domestically rose to 77 million euros, almost twenty times higher than the previous year. By destination, Alicante products expanded their share across major European markets, with pronounced gains in the Netherlands (up 79.3%), Portugal (31.8%), and the United Kingdom (27.2%). Developments in the United States (+17.9%) and Morocco (29.3%) are also noteworthy for the regional export mix.