Andalucía's exports totalled €28.6 billion in the first eight months of 2026, marking a year-on-year increase of 5.8%. This growth outpaces the national average of 3.2% and is significantly higher than increases seen in Catalonia (2%) and Madrid (0.6%).
The region remains Spain's third-largest exporter, accounting for 10.8% of the country's total exports. Alongside the Comunidad Valenciana, Andalucía is a key contributor to the growth of Spain's international sales.
Strong performance in August
In August alone, exports from Andalucía rose by 16.1% compared to the same month in 2025, reaching €2.9 billion. This surge is attributed to robust European markets, which saw a 9.6% increase in sales, and a diversification of export destinations, with Asia emerging as the second-largest continental market, surpassing America.
Industrial and agro-food exports lead the way
The leading export category was fuels and mineral oils, valued at €3.99 billion, a 24.9% increase. Notably, sales of metal ores, slag, and ashes surged by 46%, totalling €1.53 billion. Other sectors also saw growth, including aircraft and parts (+6.3%), foundry products, iron and steel (+15.7%), and electrical machinery (+0.9%), which achieved a record of €1.12 billion.
In the agro-food sector, vegetable exports reached a historic high for the January-August period, totalling €3.26 billion, a 12.1% increase, solidifying Andalucía's leadership with 48% of Spain's total vegetable exports. Olive oil exports amounted to €2.33 billion, despite a 10.2% decline due to falling prices, while fruit exports hit a record €2.67 billion.
Diverse markets driving growth
Germany remains the top destination for Andalucía's exports, with sales of €3.29 billion, up 6.8%. Italy follows in second place, with €2.92 billion and a growth of 19.2%, while Portugal reached €2.83 billion. China showed the most significant growth among the top ten destinations, with a 38% increase to €1.37 billion. Sales to France rose by 14.1% to €2.77 billion, and Belgium saw an 11.7% increase to €752 million. However, exports to the United States (-5.4%), the United Kingdom (-4.6%), and Morocco (-4.7%) declined.
Provincial performance highlights
Six of Andalucía's eight provinces reported growth in exports from January to August, with four achieving record highs. Sevilla led with €5.79 billion in sales, followed closely by Cádiz (€5.72 billion) and Huelva (€5.35 billion). Málaga experienced a notable growth of 12%, reaching €2.54 billion, while Almería achieved €4.44 billion, an 11.8% increase and its best result for this period. Córdoba also set a record with €2.51 billion, up 7.2%. Granada grew by 8.7% to €1.30 billion, while Jaén saw a decline of 4.6% to €954 million.
Trade balance and imports
Andalucía's imports rose by 12.1% in the first eight months of the year, resulting in a commercial coverage rate of 93.2%, compared to the national average of 85.2%. The trade deficit is primarily attributed to rising energy costs influenced by international conflicts. Excluding energy products, Andalucía recorded a trade surplus of €4.86 billion and a coverage rate of 125.9%, contrasting with Spain's non-energy deficit of €25.1 billion.
These figures reflect the resilience of Andalucía's external sector and its ability to generate a positive trade balance despite rising energy imports. The data is sourced from the Foreign Trade Statistics of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and has been compiled for Andalucía by the Observatory for the Internationalisation of the Andalusian Economy.
