The Spanish ham industry must face difficulties with innovation, according to experts

The article, titled 'Spanish Ham Sector: Navigating Through COVID-19's Impact', highlights the resilience and opportunities within the ham industry in Spain, as discussed at the World Ham Congress. Despite challenges such as falling prices and the closure of the Horeca channel due to the pandemic, the sector has shown strength with a quality product and a strong export performance, including to non-EU countries like China. The ham industry, which is fragmented with many SMEs, has seen growth in product categories like bacon and Iberian ham, particularly consumed by households with children. Post-CO-19, the sector plans to innovate, modernize, and better communicate with consumers, with a focus on digitalization and internationalization, including free trade agreement negotiations with Mercosur, Mexico, Australia, and Chile. The article also touches on the impact of the pandemic on ham consumption and the role of the ham industry in socio-economic recovery, especially in rural areas.