Spain occupies a unique position in the global fresh tomato trade as both one of the world's largest producers and a significant importer. The country's tomato production reached approximately 4.57 million tonnes in 2024, contributing 2.43 percent to global output. The provinces of Almeria and Granada in Andalusia, often referred to as the "sea of greenhouses" visible from space with over 30,000 hectares of plastic greenhouses, form the backbone of Spanish tomato production. Despite this enormous domestic output, Spain imported fresh tomatoes and tomato products worth approximately USD 334.81 million in the October 2024 to September 2025 period, representing a remarkable 38.76 percent increase over the previous year. This substantial import volume reflects Spain's role as a major distribution hub for European fresh produce, where imported tomatoes are re-exported to other EU member states, as well as domestic demand for varieties and seasonal supplies that complement local production.
Spain's total fruit and vegetable imports reached EUR 3,523 million in 2022, representing a 12.8 percent increase, with Morocco accounting for 20 percent of total import value. The overall EU fresh fruit and vegetable market was valued at an estimated EUR 76 billion in 2025. Vegetable imports into Spain have been growing at approximately 7 percent annually in 2023 and 2024, following a period of relative stability from 2020 to 2022. The primary sources of Spanish tomato imports include Morocco, the Canary Islands (which have a special customs regime within Spain), the Netherlands, Portugal, and Turkey. Moroccan tomatoes, in particular, have been a subject of intense trade policy discussion within the EU-Spain-Morocco triangle, with Moroccan exports to Spain growing significantly in recent years, especially during the winter and early spring months when domestic greenhouse production in Almeria is transitioning between crop cycles.
The Spanish fresh produce sector is characterised by a complex ecosystem of growers, cooperatives, importers, exporters, wholesalers, and retail chains. Many companies operate simultaneously as importers and exporters, leveraging Spain's strategic geographic position as a gateway between North Africa, the Mediterranean basin, and Northern European markets. The companies listed on this page represent a cross-section of this ecosystem, ranging from large integrated groups with international operations to specialised regional importers and distributors serving local markets.
The following table presents ten Spanish companies identified as importers of fresh tomatoes and other vegetables. These companies operate across diverse regions of Spain and serve various segments of the fresh produce supply chain, from import and wholesale distribution to processing and re-export. Company profiles are provided in alphabetical order based on the company names.
| No. | Company Name | Entity Type | Region / Area | Primary Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dynaverde SA | SA (Public Limited Company) | Almeria, Andalusia | Production, import and export of fruit and vegetables |
| 2 | Bargosa SA | SA (Public Limited Company) | Andalusia | Wholesale distribution and import of fresh produce |
| 3 | Miquel Alimentacio Grup SA | SA (Public Limited Company) | Catalonia / Barcelona | Food group, fresh produce wholesale and distribution |
| 4 | Restituto Martinez SA | SA (Public Limited Company) | Spain | Import and distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables |
| 5 | Fruits CMR SA | SA (Public Limited Company) | Spain | Fruit and vegetable import and wholesale |
| 6 | Central Dica SA | SA (Public Limited Company) | Spain | Central fresh produce distribution and import |
| 7 | Fruites I Hortalisses Gava SA | SA (Public Limited Company) | Gava, Catalonia | Fruit and vegetable trading, import and wholesale |
| 8 | Llombart Export SL | SL (Limited Liability Company) | Valencia / Mediterranean | Export and import of fresh produce |
| 9 | Consorcio De Exportacion Amaco SL | SL (Limited Liability Company) | Spain | Export consortium and fresh produce import |
| 10 | Frutas Y Hortalizas Flores SL | SL (Limited Liability Company) | Spain | Import and wholesale of fruits, vegetables and flowers |
Dynaverde SA is a well-established Spanish company with over twenty years of professional experience in the production, import, and export of fruit and vegetables, based in the province of Almeria, Andalusia. Almeria is recognised globally as one of the most intensive horticultural production zones in the world, with its vast expanse of plastic greenhouses producing millions of tonnes of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and other vegetables annually for export across Europe. Dynaverde operates within this strategic production hub, leveraging the region's world-class growing infrastructure, experienced workforce, and proximity to major European markets via the ports of Algeciras and Malaga. The company's stated objectives centre on professionalism and operational efficiency throughout the entire supply chain, from sourcing and production through quality control, logistics, and final delivery to international clients. As both a producer and importer, Dynaverde plays a dual role in the Spanish fresh produce ecosystem, supplementing its own greenhouse production with imported products to offer year-round availability and varietal diversity to its customer base.
Bargosa SA operates as a wholesale distributor and importer of fresh produce within the Spanish market. Based in the Andalusia region, which encompasses the primary horticultural production areas of Almeria, Granada, and Malaga, Bargosa benefits from direct access to Spain's largest concentration of fruit and vegetable growers and greenhouse operations. The company's role as an importer likely involves sourcing fresh tomatoes and vegetables from external origins, including Morocco, the Canary Islands, and other Mediterranean suppliers, to complement domestic production during periods of seasonal shortage or to meet specific varietal and quality requirements demanded by its retail and food service clients. Wholesale distributors such as Bargosa occupy a critical intermediary position in the Spanish fresh produce supply chain, bridging the gap between growers and end-users, and providing essential services including cold chain management, ripening facilities, quality inspection, and just-in-time delivery to supermarket chains, hospitality groups, and independent retailers.
Miquel Alimentacio Grup SA is a food group based in Catalonia, centred on the Barcelona metropolitan area, one of Spain's largest consumer markets with a population exceeding 5.5 million people. As a multi-faceted food group, Miquel Alimentacio is involved in the wholesale distribution of a broad range of food products, including fresh fruit and vegetables such as tomatoes. Catalonia's proximity to France and the broader European market, combined with Barcelona's status as a major Mediterranean port city, positions Miquel Alimentacio as a significant player in the import and distribution of fresh produce. The company's operations likely encompass both domestic sourcing from Spanish growing regions and international imports from North African, Mediterranean, and European suppliers. Food groups of this nature typically serve a diversified client base including supermarket chains, independent grocers, hospitality establishments, and institutional catering operations, providing consolidated procurement and logistics services that offer economies of scale and supply chain reliability.
Restituto Martinez SA is a Spanish company engaged in the import and distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables. The company operates within Spain's extensive fresh produce supply chain, contributing to the movement of tomatoes and other perishable commodities from production areas to consumption centres. Spanish companies of this type typically maintain relationships with growers across Andalusia, the Valencia region, the Canary Islands, and the Murcia area, as well as with international suppliers in Morocco, Turkey, and other Mediterranean countries. The import activity of Restituto Martinez SA reflects the structural reality of the Spanish fresh produce market, where even a major producing country requires cross-border flows of produce to meet year-round consumer demand, maintain varietal diversity, and capitalise on price differentials between production origins. The company's SA (Sociedad Anonima) corporate structure indicates a publicly traded or large privately held entity with significant capital and operational capacity.
Fruits CMR SA is a Spanish public limited company specialising in the fruit and vegetable import and wholesale sector. The company occupies a position within Spain's complex fresh produce distribution network, where imported tomatoes and vegetables flow through wholesale channels to reach retail outlets, food service providers, and ultimately consumers. Spain's wholesale fresh produce market is served by a network of major wholesale markets (mercados centrales) in cities including Madrid (Mercamadrid), Barcelona (Mercabarna), Valencia (Mercavalencia), and Malaga (Mercamalaga), with combined annual throughput exceeding 10 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables. Companies like Fruits CMR SA serve as critical supply chain intermediaries, ensuring the efficient flow of perishable produce from import points and domestic production areas to these major distribution hubs and onward to retail customers.
Central Dica SA operates as a central fresh produce distribution and import company within the Spanish market. The designation "Central" in the company name typically indicates a company that functions as a centralised procurement, distribution, and logistics hub for fresh produce, aggregating supply from multiple growers and import sources to serve a network of retail or institutional clients. This centralised model is particularly prevalent in Spain's organised retail sector, where supermarket chains and retail cooperatives rely on centralised distribution companies to manage their fresh produce supply chains efficiently. Central Dica SA's import activities encompass the sourcing of tomatoes and other fresh vegetables from both domestic and international suppliers, with a focus on ensuring year-round product availability, consistent quality standards, and competitive pricing for its client base. The company's SA corporate form indicates a substantial operation with the capital infrastructure necessary for cold storage, logistics, and large-scale distribution activities.
Fruites I Hortalisses Gava SA is a fruit and vegetable trading, import, and wholesale company based in Gava, a municipality located in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia. The company's Catalan name, which translates literally to "Fruits and Vegetables of Gava," clearly identifies its core business activity and geographic base. Gava's location within the Barcelona metropolitan area provides the company with strategic access to one of Spain's largest and most affluent consumer markets, as well as to the Mercabarna wholesale market complex, which is among the largest fresh produce distribution centres in Southern Europe. Fruites I Hortalisses Gava SA serves the dual role of importing fresh produce from external origins and distributing to local and regional markets, contributing to the supply of tomatoes and other fresh vegetables to the Catalan retail and food service sectors. The company's long-standing presence in the Gava area reflects the deep-rooted tradition of fresh produce trading in Catalonia, which has historically been one of Spain's most commercially active regions for agricultural commodities.
Llombart Export SL is a Spanish limited liability company operating in the export and import of fresh produce, based in the Valencia region on Spain's Mediterranean coast. Valencia is one of Spain's most important agricultural regions, renowned for its production of citrus fruits, tomatoes, and a wide variety of vegetables. The Valencia region's extensive coastline, modern port infrastructure, and well-established international trade connections make it an ideal base for companies engaged in both export and import of fresh produce. Llombart Export SL's dual export-import orientation is characteristic of many Spanish fresh produce companies, which leverage their export logistics infrastructure and international market knowledge to also facilitate import activities, effectively operating as two-way trade intermediaries. The company's SL (Sociedad Limitada) structure is typical of medium-sized Spanish enterprises in the fresh produce sector, offering flexibility in operations whilst maintaining limited liability protection for its owners.
Consorcio De Exportacion Amaco SL operates as an export consortium and fresh produce import company in Spain. The designation "Consorcio de Exportacion" (Export Consortium) indicates that the company functions as a collaborative export platform, potentially aggregating the production of multiple growers or member companies to achieve economies of scale in international marketing and logistics. Export consortia are a well-established model in Spanish agriculture, particularly in regions like Almeria and Valencia, where groups of smaller growers pool their production to access international markets that would be inaccessible to individual producers. This collaborative model also extends to import activities, where the consortium's collective purchasing power and shared logistics infrastructure enable more cost-effective sourcing of imported produce. Consorcio De Exportacion Amaco SL's involvement in the tomato trade reflects the highly collaborative and cooperative nature of the Spanish fresh produce sector, where consortium structures have been instrumental in building Spain's position as the world's leading exporter of fresh fruit and vegetables by value.
Frutas Y Hortalizas Flores SL is a Spanish limited liability company engaged in the import and wholesale distribution of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. The company's name, which translates to "Fruits, Vegetables and Flowers," indicates a diversified product portfolio that extends beyond fresh produce to include ornamental flowers and plants. This diversification is relatively common in the Spanish fresh produce wholesale sector, where the perishable nature and similar logistics requirements of fresh produce and cut flowers create natural synergies in cold chain management, import clearance, and distribution. Spain is a significant importer of cut flowers, particularly from Colombia, Ecuador, and the Netherlands, and the integration of floral products into a fresh produce business model allows companies like Frutas Y Hortalizas Flores SL to maximise the utilisation of their logistics and cold storage infrastructure whilst serving a broader range of retail and institutional clients. The company's import of tomatoes and other fresh vegetables complements its core product offering, providing a comprehensive fresh and floral product supply to its customer base.
Spain's fresh tomato trade is characterised by a high degree of complexity and interdependence with both North African and European markets. As the EU's largest producer of fresh tomatoes, Spain exports significant volumes to Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and Poland, among other destinations. Simultaneously, Spain imports tomatoes primarily from Morocco, the Canary Islands (which operate under a special tax and customs regime but are counted in external trade statistics), the Netherlands, Portugal, and Turkey. The import-export dynamics are driven by several key factors including seasonal production cycles, varietal specialisation, price arbitrage opportunities, and the re-export function that Spanish importers perform within the broader European supply chain.
The recent 38.76 percent year-on-year increase in Spain's fresh tomato imports (to USD 334.81 million in the October 2024 to September 2025 period) is a striking indicator of the growing complexity of this trade flow. Contributing factors include increased Moroccan tomato production and export capacity, growing demand for specialty and heirloom tomato varieties not widely grown in Spanish greenhouses, supply chain disruptions affecting domestic production (including water scarcity issues in Andalusia), and the expanding role of Spanish companies as re-export hubs serving Northern European markets. The EU-Morocco agricultural partnership, which provides preferential trade terms for Moroccan produce entering the EU market via Spain, has been a significant structural factor enabling this growth, although it has also been the subject of controversy and legal challenges from Spanish growers' organisations concerned about unfair competition.
Why does Spain import tomatoes when it is one of the world's largest producers?
Despite being the EU's largest tomato producer (approximately 4.57 million tonnes in 2024), Spain imports tomatoes for several reasons: seasonal gaps in domestic production (especially during winter crop transitions), demand for specific varieties not grown locally, re-export activities where imported tomatoes are distributed to other EU countries, and price competitiveness of imports from Morocco, the Canary Islands, and Turkey during certain periods. Spain's fresh tomato imports reached USD 334.81 million in the October 2024 to September 2025 period.
What are the main source countries for Spanish tomato imports?
The primary sources of Spanish tomato imports include Morocco (the largest single source, accounting for approximately 20 percent of Spain's total fruit and vegetable imports), the Canary Islands (a Spanish archipelago with a special customs regime that counts as external trade), the Netherlands, Portugal, and Turkey. Morocco has been a particularly significant and growing source, with its exports to Spain increasing substantially in recent years due to expanded greenhouse production capacity and preferential EU trade terms.
What types of companies import tomatoes in Spain?
Spanish tomato importers range from large integrated food groups and export consortiums to specialised import-wholesale companies and regional distributors. Entity types include SA (Sociedad Anonima, public limited companies) and SL (Sociedad Limitada, limited liability companies). Many of these companies simultaneously export domestic produce, operating as two-way trade intermediaries. The companies listed on this page represent this diversity, from Almeria-based producer-exporters like Dynaverde SA to Catalan wholesale distributors like Fruites I Hortalisses Gava SA.
What is the scale of Spain's fresh fruit and vegetable trade?
Spain's total fruit and vegetable imports reached EUR 3,523 million in 2022 (a 12.8 percent increase). The overall EU fresh fruit and vegetable market was valued at approximately EUR 76 billion in 2025. Spain is consistently ranked among the world's top three exporters of fresh fruit and vegetables by value. The country's fresh produce sector is centred on the Almeria "sea of greenhouses" (over 30,000 hectares), which produces approximately 3.5 million tonnes of vegetables annually. Major wholesale markets including Mercamadrid, Mercabarna, and Mercavalencia handle over 10 million tonnes of produce annually.