Extenda presents the Andalusian potential in extra virgin olive oil, wines, bakery or fruits and vegetables at Nordic Organic Food

Andalusia confirms its leadership in organic food production in Europe at Nordic Organic Food, where firms from the region show a varied offer that represents the high standards of quality and innovation that define the Andalusia Brand worldwide. For decades, the Andalusian community has held leading positions in the development of sustainable agricultural production systems, with high quality and minimal environmental impact in Spain, which, in turn, stands out as the first organic producer in the European Union and fourth largest in the world.

According to data from the Andalusian Regional Government, the Andalusian organic sector now exceeds one million hectares of crops, which represents almost half of the total national organic surface area (45%), 23.6% of the utilised agricultural surface area of Andalusia and 7.5% of the European organic territory. With these data, the Andalusian region is very close to meeting Europe’s target of at least 25% of agricultural land being used in organic farming by 2030.

In this regard, data for 2020 indicate that the Andalusian organic sector consists of 17,700 operators, one in three agents in Spain and 7.7% more than in the previous year; more than 3,000 green industries; nearly 700,000 head of cattle; and more than 42,000 employees. Furthermore, agricultural income is over 400 million, with exports worth around 680 million.

All this potential of Andalusia in the organic segment is represented at the event by quality firms and leaders in the production of extra virgin olive oil, wine, bakery, preserves and salted foods and fruits and vegetables, which have presented their innovative and sustainable proposals at the fair on the Andalusian stand located at number F41. In this space, Extenda-Andalusia Exports and Foreign Investment, an entity dependent on the Andalusian Regional Government, has also organised the presentation of eight Andalusian organic food companies in this space.

The CEO of Extenda, Arturo Bernal, underlines the ”good harmony between Andalusia’s organic supply and the demand of a Nordic market that expects high standards of quality and innovation in food”. ”Two requirements that the Andalusia Brand, leader in the European organic sector, offers with every guarantee at the event par excellence for the organic sector in the Nordic countries”, he points out.

In this vein, Arturo Bernal highlights the ”constant work of the Andalusian agri-food industry to improve itself, at the forefront of sustainable production, thanks to which it achieves record export figures every month and manages to respond both to the great needs of the European markets and to the emerging demand from distant destinations such as China, the United States and Morocco”.

As he indicated, between January and August 2021, the latest data available, Andalusia’s exports of food and beverages to the world grew by 7.5% compared to the same period last year, to 8,378 million euros. As far as the Nordic markets are concerned, Andalusia gains positions, achieving sales in this period amounting to 102 million in Sweden, its main destination in the area; while it has exported 87 million to Denmark; to Finland, 39 million; and to Norway, 32 million, which is 27.3 per cent more than in the same period in 2020.

Finally, the CEO of Extenda confirms that the Andalusian agri-food sector ”enjoys an advantageous position in the international market, something that is also reflected in the organic segment, where Andalusia has a clear leading position thanks to the extraordinary growth of the organic olive groves, in which Andalusia is world power, both by area and by specialisation; from organic farming in greenhouses and vegetables; and from agro-industries, which have increased tenfold since 2005, from 300 to more than 3,000”.

Andalusian companies in Nordic Organic Food

In Nordic Organic Food, nine Andalusian companies from a wide variety of organic sectors are present with the support of Extenda, such as extra virgin olive oil, with representation from Oleoestepa from Seville and Aceites Valderrama and Aceitera Peninsular Española from Córdoba; or fruit and vegetables, represented by Frumaco, Serviagro 2000 and Biotropic from Málaga, Andalucía Export from Cádiz or Balcón de Níjar from Almería. Other participants, through Extenda, include Landaluz- Andalusian Food Business Association, representing several of its affiliated brands.

The organization of this action by Extenda will be co-financed with funds from the European Union through the ERDF Programme for Andalusia 2014-2020, with a UE contribution of 80%, or any other European Programme likely to co-finance this action.

Ecological quality certification

The products presented by Andalusia at the event have the EU organic production seal and other quality certifications. In addition, companies that produce them have the ability to adapt their certification standards to the local requirements of other markets, such as the Swedish Krav labelling.

Andalusia is the world’s leading producer of organic extra virgin olive oil with 83% of the national total and 32% of the world total. Andalusian ”organic green gold” is thus produced in a healthy way for humans and their environment, without losing its characteristic taste, colour, aroma and texture. The Andalusian organic olive grove for oil production already accounts for 38% of the national land area allocated to this crop, an agricultural model that contributes to the mitigation of climate change by reducing the carbon footprint.

In terms of fruits and vegetables, Andalusia has a great wealth that is distributed throughout its provinces, whose common factor is an extraordinary quality that has increased in recent years thanks to the efforts made in controlled, integrated production or organic farming.

Eco-protected cultivation combines greenhouse technology with environmentally friendly management. In recent years, organic fruit and vegetable production has been expanding due to its advantages in pest control, natural pollination or adaptation to the demand of North and Central Europe, so that 300 new organic fruit and vegetable agro-industries have appeared in the last two years.

On the other hand, Andalusia has a millenary tradition in the cultivation of vines and the production of wines of great prestige and fame throughout the world. The topography, geology and climate of Andalusian soils are excellent for cultivation, resulting in high quality wines, as well as very varied and characteristic. Today, more than 70% of Andalusian vineyards are covered by one of the six Guarantees of Origin, in addition to 13 protected geographical indications and other historical wines.

As far as organic production is concerned, Andalusia is among the communities with the largest number of wineries dedicated to organic wine production, with 102. The Andalusian region dedicates 1,064 hectares to organic vineyards and produced more than 3,500 tons in 2019.

In addition, the know-how in line with the nature of Andalusia is also shown in its breads, pastries, spices, herbs and prepared dishes, foods all prepared with delicacy and sustainability criteria that guarantee their quality and traceability. The Andalusian region has large areas where cereals and other organic grains are grown, with an increasing surface area and technification, thus achieving good yields and a magnificent adaptation to the wide areas of dryland farming in Spain.

All these techniques, in addition to improving the profitability and added value of cereal and other grain crops, have a minimal impact on the landscape, the environment and natural biodiversity and help mitigate climate change.

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