Analysis: To which countries does each Spanish province export?

The Rhenus Group has examined Spanish exports in 2021 to evaluate the performance of each province. The results confirm the leadership of France as the top market in 33 provinces, the dominance of road transport in 41 and fruit and vegetable goods in ten.

Spanish companies sell chemical products to France that are transported by truck, according to the typical profile of Spanish exports of goods in 2021. However, the analysis of the data provided by the Agencia Tributaria reveals very different patterns depending on each territory, as shown in the map drawn up by the Rhenus Group to examine the behaviour of Spanish exports.

The analysis, which evaluates the leading market in each province, the most used means of transport and the most exported goods, places France as the top destination for sales in 33 provinces. Likewise, trucks are the preferred means of transport in 41 provinces and fruit, vegetables, and legumes are the most exported goods in ten provinces.

The map shows France's leadership in the north-east of the peninsula, where the provinces of Aragon and Catalonia have this country as the largest destination for their industry. This dominance is also observed in the north and east of Spain. However, it disappears in the provinces of the south and west of the peninsula, with only three countries exporting to France out of the ten that constitute Andalusia and Extremadura.

Overall, 33 Spanish provinces have France as the first destination for their sales. Germany, the second-largest market for Spanish exports, also holds this second position on the map, with seven provinces. Portugal, for its part, is the leading market for five provinces and is ahead of Italy in this analysis, with only two countries despite being the third country for Spanish goods.

The market ranking is completed by Morocco, which is the first destination for Cádiz and Melilla; the Netherlands, the main market for Lugo; Sri Lanka, in Ceuta; and Switzerland, for Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Road transport is essential for exports in 41 provinces

Trucks are the most used means of transport by a total of 41 provinces to send their goods abroad, according to the analysis performed by the Rhenus Group. In the opinion of Andreu Gutiérrez, Country Sales Director Road of Rhenus Logistics Spain, this leadership shows that "road transport is an essential ally for Spanish exporters. The speed and flexibility provided by the truck in door-to-door services throughout the continent make it a competitive tool for the industry."

Maritime transport is the most popular option in nine provinces: the three islands (Baleares, Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife), Asturias, Cádiz, Castellón, Huelva, Murcia and Pontevedra. Railways lead exports in two provinces, Palencia and Valladolid. These are strongly associated with the automotive industry due to the presence of Renault factories.

The fruit and vegetable sector leads sales in ten provinces

Fruits, vegetables, and legumes are the main export product in this analysis. This sector outperforms chemicals, which dominate exports in eight regions. Automotive is the leading sales sector in six provinces, meat products in five, and petroleum in four.

The list of the most sold goods abroad continues with iron and steel, a key export sector in Asturias, Bizkaia, and Cantabria. This sector is followed by electrical devices (Ceuta and Jaén); beverages (La Rioja and Segovia); capital goods (Salamanca and Teruel); and construction materials (Castellón and Ourense).