The Spanish National Meat Industry Association (ANICE) and the Spanish Federation of Meat and Meat Processing Companies (FECIC) presented the study “The Economic Contribution of the Meat Industry in Spain” in Madrid. The report was prepared by Afi (Analistas Financieros Internacionales).
The findings confirm the strategic importance of the meat sector to the Spanish economy. The industry's total contribution, including direct, indirect, and induced impacts, is estimated at €44.37 billion in gross value added, equivalent to approximately 2.8% of Spain’s gross domestic product.
According to Ana Domínguez, Head of Applied Economics at Afi, every euro generated directly by meat industry companies creates an additional €4.80 of economic activity in related sectors.
The meat sector comprises more than 3,000 companies and remains one of Spain’s leading agri-food exporters. Annual exports of meat and meat products exceed €12.36 billion, representing nearly one-quarter of the country’s total agri-food exports.
At the same time, the sector maintains a positive trade balance of more than €8.4 billion, reinforcing its importance to Spain’s export performance.
The study also highlights the sector’s significant impact on primary production. More than one-third of all indirect economic effects generated by the meat industry benefit agriculture and livestock farming.
Overall, this translates into more than €8.9 billion in gross value added for the agricultural sector, representing 35.1% of the total indirect impact generated by the meat industry.
ANICE Director General Giuseppe Aloisio stressed that the report demonstrates the sector’s importance beyond its processing activities.
“The meat industry is a strategic sector that creates wealth, employment, export opportunities, and development for thousands of municipalities across the country. Moreover, it serves as a powerful engine for livestock production and the entire Spanish agri-food system,” he said.
The sector also makes a substantial contribution to public finances. Direct tax revenues and social contributions generated by the industry exceed €2.8 billion. The largest share comes from social security contributions, which account for approximately €1.3 billion, or 46.5% of total payments.
FECIC Secretary General Ignasi Pons emphasized that the study provides an objective assessment of the meat industry’s real contribution to Spain.
“Beyond generating jobs and income, the sector plays a key role in rural development, supports thousands of livestock farms, expands exports, and stimulates economic activity across numerous sectors of the agri-food chain,” he noted.
As a result, the meat industry remains one of the most influential sectors of the Spanish economy, making a significant contribution to production, exports, employment, and the development of rural areas.
PigUA.info, based on euromeatnews.com