China remains a very limited market for both Spanish and EU producers. In 2025, Spanish fruit and vegetable exports totaled just 1,784 tonnes, representing 0.01% of Spain’s total export volume. The situation is similar for the EU as a whole; the 27 member states exported only 10,084 tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables to China.
Furthermore, China is a highly complex market when it comes to negotiating access for EU fruit and vegetable produce, requiring the formalization of protocols—a negotiation process that can take four to five years. Nevertheless, recent years have seen progress in opening the Chinese market to Spanish fruit and vegetable products.
Currently, the following fruits, vegetables, and nuts may be exported: citrus fruits, stone fruit (peaches and plums), grapes, persimmons, almonds, and cherries. Protocols have also been approved for dried figs and pistachios, though the necessary administrative procedures for actual export have not yet been completed.
The selection of China as a guest country for Fruit Attraction 2026—a role it has held in previous editions—will help strengthen commercial ties between operators from both regions.
As for the United Arab Emirates, it has been one of the primary non-European destinations for Spanish fruit and vegetable exports. In 2021, exports totaled 40,441 tonnes—a volume very similar to that of 2022—but a sharp decline subsequently occurred, with shipments falling to 13,621 tonnes in 2025. This decline is due to various factors, but FEPEX particularly highlights the rise in general costs, and logistics costs in particular. Recent years have seen an increase in maritime freight rates, which have even doubled on some routes. Furthermore, geopolitical tensions drive up transport costs and slow down shipping, resulting in a loss of competitiveness in distant markets and, consequently, reduced volumes.
Nevertheless, the image of Spanish products in the country remains positive. They are associated with quality and competitive pricing, which boosts the potential for reaching agreements with local food companies—whether to meet domestic demand or to supply channels serving the tourism sector, given that the United Arab Emirates (and Dubai specifically) has recently become one of the world’s most visited destinations.
For this reason, the United Arab Emirates has been selected as the guest country for the 18th edition of Fruit Attraction. Its participation will help revitalize a market that holds great promise outside Europe, especially considering that Dubai serves as a logistics and re-export hub for the entire Gulf region, Asia, and Africa.
Fruit Attraction, organized by IFEMA MADRID and FEPEX, will take place at the exhibition center from Tuesday, October 6, to Thursday, October 8. Opening hours are 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with the event closing at 4:00 p.m. on the final day. The fair will feature over 2,500 companies occupying more than 162,000 m² of space across ten halls.
