Catalan exports rebound to 3.2% in January with €7.9bn 

Catalan exports rebounded by 3.2% at the beginning of 2025 compared to the previous year. According to data from Spain's economy ministry published this week, Catalan foreign sales reached a total value of €7.9 billion in January. 

The sales were once again led by chemical products (€2.5 billion, 31.4% of the total) and capital goods (€1.3 billion, 16.4% of the total).  

These figures contrast with those of Spain as a whole, where exports fell by 1.2% to €29.8 billion in the first month of the year. This decrease was mainly due to the slowdown observed in the American market (-3.7%). In Catalonia, imports also increased, rising by 8% year-on-year to €9.3 billion.  

As a result, Catalonia's trade balance started the year with a negative balance of €1.4 billion, exceeding the deficit recorded in the same month of 2024 (€975.2 million). Catalan exports accounted for 26.6% of Spain's total exports. Compared to the previous month, December, Catalan exports rose by 3.4%. 

By products category, in addition to chemicals and capital goods, the Ministry of Economy also highlighted sales in food, beverages, and tobacco (€1.2 billion, 15.4% of the total) and the automotive sector (€955.2 million, 12,6% of the total). However, in the automotive sector, exports declined by 12.8% compared to January of the previous year.  

By market, exports to the Eurozone decreased in the first month of the year, benefiting sales to non-EU countries. Sales to the EU accounted for 63.4% of total exports, nearly one percentage point lower than in 2024.  

Again, in contrast to Spain's overall trend, Catalan exports to the American continent increased by 8.3%, driven by mainly Panama, where they skyrocketed by 627.8%.  

Amid the looming trade war initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, it is noteworthy that Catalan exports to the United Stated rose by 11.6%. 

By region, Girona saw the highest year-on-year increase in sales in January, rising by 8.9% to €709 million.  

Tarragona's exports grew by 5.8% to €950.3 million. Lleida's by 2.5% to €216.8 million, and Barcelona's by 2.3% to €6.06 billion.  

At the national level, imports climbed to €35.97 billion, up 6.2% from a year earlier, while the trade deficit widened to -€6.2 billion.