260 Million Euros In Losses to Spanish Ceramics Due To The Boycott Of Algeria

Official data in Spain show that the porcelain and ceramics sector has suffered losses of 260 million euros in two years due to the Algerian boycott of products and goods from Spanish companies.
In this context, figures from the Spanish Ministry of Trade, reported by the newspaper specialized in porcelain and ceramics “El Periodico de Azulejo”, show that this sector is considered one of the most affected by the Algerian economic rupture, which has been ongoing since June 2022, indicating that many emerging companies in this sector have suffered significant losses.
The same source pointed out that, according to figures from the Confederation of Employers of the Valencian Community, the porcelain and ceramics sector suffered losses of 220 million euros almost two years ago due to the cessation of exports to Algeria, while the equipment sector for this sector suffered losses of around 40 million euros in the same period. .
In general, the same newspaper reveals that total Spanish exports to Algeria increased slightly in the first months of 2024, driven by sales of commercial vehicles and vehicle parts and pieces, as well as beef and sheep meat.
The figures for cars reflect imports by Fiat Algeria, a subsidiary of the Stellantis Group, which imported commercial vehicles from Spain in the last period, specifically from the port of Vigo in northern Spain.
According to the Spanish Secretariat of State for Trade, Spanish exports to Algeria in the months of January and February amounted to 163 million euros, of which 133 million euros were goods and equipment, while the value in 2023 was around 17 million euros and in 2022, before the outbreak of the crisis, 334 million euros.
Regarding the total figures for the year 2023, the same source explains that Spain’s total exports to Algeria amounted to only 331.8 million euros, which represents a decline of 67.5 percent compared to 2022, while the same year, i.e. 2022, witnessed a decline in Spanish exports to only 1 billion and 21 million euros After it had reached a total of 1 billion and 888 million euros in 2021.
Regarding the visit to Algeria of the Foreign Minister of Madrid, Jose Manuel Albarez, which was canceled months ago, the newspaper reported that it still had no agenda or date, despite what it called the efforts made by Madrid with the European Commission in this regard, but nothing happened.
On the other hand, a few days ago “Enagas”, the company responsible for the internal gas network in Spain, published data showing that about half of the country’s gas needs were met by Algerian supplies, whether natural gas or liquefied natural gas (LNG), during the months of April last year. It reached 12,351 gigawatt hours.