February 28th 2018

Export and import balance in the province of Albacete

We echo the extensive information published by the newspaper The Tribune of Albacete (in its edition of Monday, February 26), on exports from Albacete, due to the interest that this journalistic chronicle has for ADIEX companies. In addition, it includes an assessment of the president of the AssociationIvan Torres.

More than half of Albacete's exports go to four countries
The Adiex business association asks to overcome the fear of going to emerging markets with more opportunities

From Albania to Vatican City, from Ethiopia to Zimbabwe, and from Iraq to Hong Kong. The business of Albacete companies abroad reached destinations in more than 2017 different countries in 150, with 82.514 commercial operations documented in the Foreign Trade database of the Tax Agency, which served to invoice more than 969 million euros, a a figure that represents a new growth over the exports of other years, as business agents and the Administration have already been stressing. But a look at the list of countries according to the business they generate for Albacete serves to see that only four destinations account for more than 53% of the value of what is exported in a year from the province. These are France, Germany, Italy and the United States of America, nations to which products and services were billed from the province for an amount of 514 million euros.

The statistics reveal that the four countries to which Albacete sells the most are the same since 2014, when the United States ousted Portugal in that fourth place. In fact, exports to the American country from the province have experienced more than considerable growth in recent years: in 2012 they did not exceed 34 million euros, a turnover that almost tripled in 2017.

The growth that the United States has as an export business is perceived not only in the value of what is exported, but also in the number of transactions made from Albacete: 1.628 in 2012, and more than 3.200 last year. Footwear manufactured in the province accounts for a third of all these operations.

AN OBSTACLE. In almost all the main countries to which the province exports, there were annual growth rates last year, from 1,28% in Germany to 30,55% in the United States. However, growth like this does not have to be good news without more. Iván Torres is president of the Albacete association Adiex, a business group of importers and exporters, and in relation to these data he commented that concentrating exports in "classic" countries is a handicap that is reducing business opportunities, although he admitted that it is a phenomenon that occurs throughout the country: «It is not only a provincial problem, but we continue to focus on the EU countries and countries with proven economies, such as the United States. It should be logical, because they are countries with significant economic growth and significant demand, but they are also places where there is a lot of competition, and we are leaving out emerging markets that may be important." The president of Adiex wondered about the reasons for always looking for the same markets: «It could be for different reasons, lack of languages, preparation, willingness to internationalize, you can't get there... But there are business opportunities that are just as good or even better than the ones from countries that may seem easier, such as France, or Canada for example. Maybe in South Africa or Australia there are other opportunities and you have to look for them. That it is further, more complicated than other regulations, yes, but those fears must be overcome and gain market share.

Since 2014, the United States is the fourth destination of foreign trade in the province

WHAT IS SOLD. The data from the Tax Agency show, in turn, the products and services that are sold to other countries from Albacete. The chapter that includes wine continues to be the one that generates the most value in terms of turnover, above 131 million euros in 2017. Footwear and similar items follow in second place, with more than 117 million. Aluminum and its manufactures also accounted for more than 98 million in exports. The Albacete association Adiex, on the other hand, highlighted the rise in exports of capital goods. Chapters such as aircraft, with 24,7 million euros exported from Albacete, or machinery, with more than 72 million in a year, are the ones that Iván Torres highlighted: «The 2017 export data has good news, as that growth that is higher than the average, but the most notable of the figures that I would highlight is the rise in exports of capital goods ». For Torres it is important "because they are items of greater value both economically and at the level of technology and innovation, which is where we are doing worse." The president of Adiex explained that of course “exports are essential for the agri-food sector, there is no doubt, but a lot of volume is exported there, many kilos, however in the economy capital goods are important; That they increase so significantly is good. The numbers give an example: The more than 24 million euros exported by aircraft respond to 49 commercial operations, and at the same time the 21 million invoiced from the province for "vegetable, fruit or other fruit preparations" required more than 600 transactions.

UNDER. With these numbers, the commercial balance of the province, that is, the difference between what is sold abroad and what is bought from other countries, gives a positive result. It was exported in 2017 worth 232,5 million euros more than what was imported. In any case, Albacete and Castilla-La Mancha continue to be a territory little given to foreign trade if the comparison is made with other places in Spain, explained the president of Adiex: «In Spain there are certain territories that rule the roost for exports, They are Catalonia, Madrid and the Basque Country; Valencia is also very important, but other regions such as Castillas and Extremadura have different figures ». Iván Torres added that this historical difference is something “logical, due to the population, due to the difficulty of accessing qualified personnel, due to the lack of attraction for companies to establish themselves here. This has always been a struggle of our Adiex association, a large part of a region's success is being able to generate its own knowledge and retain value; if there are entrepreneurs inside, high-value companies can emerge”.

The Tribune: MARCELO ORTEGA / ALBACETE

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