Spanish cereal imports rose 24% in 2023 marked by the influence of Ukraine

In 2023, Spain experienced a significant increase in cereal imports, up by 23.6%, due to a national drought and the impact of the war in Ukraine, which paradoxically remained the country's top cereal supplier. This surge, reaching 23.2 million tons, was also fueled by increased purchases from other Eastern European countries like Romania, Bulgaria, Germany, and Poland, helping Spain mitigate the effects of its worst harvest in history. The situation, dubbed the 'Ukraine effect,' led to reduced imports from traditional suppliers such as Brazil and France, amidst EU tariff advantages for Ukrainian products that have sparked protests among European farmers. Concurrently, the European Commission is considering raising tariffs on Russian and Belarusian cereals to prevent war financing. Amid these developments, the Spanish company Accoe has appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture for special consideration regarding shipments to Russia affected by the impending tariff increases, highlighting the financial strain on Spanish businesses engaged in trade with Russia.