Spanish agri‑food sector accounts for 9% of GDP and 11.5% of employment, report shows

The 2025 Observatorio del sector agroalimentario español report, presented by Cajamar and prepared by the Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas, estimates the sector's gross value added (VAB) at €137.387 billion, representing 9 % of Spain's total economy and 13 % of the EU‑27 agri‑food VAB, placing Spain fourth in size within the bloc. Exports have surpassed €79 billion for the first time, and the sector employs over 2.6 million people, accounting for 11.5 % of national employment.

Minister of Agriculture Luis Planas described the observatory as a useful tool for decision‑making. The report highlights persistent challenges, including a productivity gap with leading EU partners, low investment in R&D&I, and a looming generational renewal issue due to an aging workforce and limited female participation. It calls for greater innovation and digitalisation—such as precision agriculture, efficient irrigation, and genomic techniques—to boost productivity while reducing resource use.