Spanish Agri-Food Exports, 1850-2022: an Overview

This essay analyzes the evolution of Spanish agri-food exports over the past 175 years. It also reflects on the factors that have determined their performance, as well as their possible impact on the agricultural sector. Until the Civil War, these exports accounted for a significant portion of total exports and had a notable influence on final agricultural production. Although during the second half of the 20th century they lost relative weight in total trade significantly, their growth was very rapid, and consequently, their impact on production was even greater. Among their contributions to economic growth, their relevance in balancing foreign accounts throughout most of the studied period stands out. Agri-food exports have contributed to economic development by improving the purchasing capacity of the economy and generating significant backward, forward, and final demand linkages. In short, they increased real income by improving resource allocation, as the comparative advantages of agriculture and the agri-food industry were leveraged, and productive factors were utilized more efficiently.