The Spanish Food Sector

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Spanish Food Sector at your Fingertips

Spain is well recognised for the rich variety and quality of its food products. It contributes to 8% of Spanish GDP, and 16 % of its total exports; it is the first sector of the Spanish manufacturing industry, employing 14,7 % of the total workforce. These figures speak by themselves about the importance, for the country as a whole, of exporting its food products, and about the efforts, both public and private, that have been made to strengthen this key economic sector.

The Spanish climate and geography allows for a very wide range of food products that have been traditionally grown and produced in every Spanish Region. Consider that, accounting only for those products which belong to a Protected Denomination of Origin (D.O.P) or Protected Geographical Indication (I.P.G.)*, and excluding wines, there are 177 of them in our territory, divided into the following sectors:

• Meat (cured and fresh): 25 I.P.G. plus 5 D.O.P.

• Cheese: 31 D.O.P. plus 1 I.P.G.

• Honey: 4 D.O.P.

• Olive Oil: 30 D.O.P.

• Fruits, legumes and vegetables: 23 D.O.P. plus 33 I.P.G.

• Fish, crustacean and mollusc: 10 D.O.P. plus 2 I.P.G.

• Bakery, patisserie and confectionery: 14 I.P.G.