Vigo, February 18, 2025.- The subdelegate of the Government in Pontevedra, Abel Losada, visited today the provincial service of Foreign Trade, which is distributed between the administrative offices of Calle Colón de Vigo and the units of the Official Service of Inspection, Surveillance and Regulation of Exports (Soivre) located in the Maritime Station of the Olivica city. It analyzed the province’s export data in 2024, which confirms that Pontevedra reached a positive trade balance of 7,022.5 million euros, becoming for the second year in a row the province with the best trade balance in Spain. Losada explained that Pontevedra repeats leadership for the second consecutive year, after obtaining 9th place in 2022 and 17th in 2021 and 2020.
Together with the provincial director of Foreign Trade, Patricia Pérez, Losada highlighted that the province is at the head of Galicia and remains among the first exporting provinces of Spain. This historic result, he said, “strengthens the position of the province as one of the economic engines of the country, especially thanks to its export capacity in sectors such as automotive and fishing, which continue to boost economic and industrial growth.”
Thus, Pontevedra’s exports reached record highs with 15,280.3 million euros in 2024, an increase of 4% compared to the previous year. This growth is higher than the Galician average (+3.3%) and is also well above the increase at the state level (+0.2%), placing the province as the fourth largest exporter of Spain, only behind Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia.
By large chapters, the automobile sector accounted for 41.7% of exports, followed by capital goods (25.1%) and food, beverages and tobacco (15.1%). Thus, Pontevedra broke its record for car exports, with 5,514.6 million euros. In 2021 alone, it had managed to exceed the threshold of 5 billion euros. Automobiles and motorcycles accounted for 36.1% of total exports, and grew 14.8% compared to the previous year. Road freight vehicles (2,338.8 million euros) had a share of 15.3%, although with a year-on-year decrease of 13.7%. Fishery products - with 1,733 million euros - accounted for 11.3% of exports with an annual variation rate of -2.9%.
The deputy delegate of the Government stressed that Pontevedra continues to consolidate itself as one of the fundamental industrialists for the production and export of automobiles and commercial vehicles, with highly competitive companies in international purchases. “The automotive sector not only strengthens exports, but also generates thousands of direct and indirect jobs, dynamizing the economy of the province. Companies were able to adapt to new international demands, betting on innovation and sustainability," said Losada.
On the other hand, fishery products continue to be one of the pillars of the Pontevedra economy, with 1,733 million euros in exports, 11.3% of the total. Although the sector experienced a slight fall of -2.9% compared to the previous year, it remains one of the great commercial strengths of the province.
Trade with the United States in maximum historical
Another highlight is the evolution of trade with the United States, one of the province’s main trading partners. In 2024, Pontevedra reached a positive balance of 333 million euros, the best in the historical series, thanks to an increase of 44.5% in exports to this country. The largest exports of Pontevedra la EE.UU are ships (23.1% and 84.9 million), automobile components (14.4% and 53 million) and fishery and sea products (13.5% and 49.5 million). Medicines, chemicals, and animal and vegetable raw materials also stand out among many other products and commodities.
For the subdelegate, the growth of exports to EE.UU demonstrates the capacity of Pontevedra companies to diversify markets and consolidate commercial relations with key economies at a global level. Meanwhile, Abel Losada warned that Donald Trump’s tariff policy represents a challenge for Pontevedra and Galician exports EE.UU. by affecting strategic sectors such as fisheries and automotive.
Beyond the United States, the main destinations of Pontevedra exports were in 2024 France (17.2%), Portugal (14.5%) and Italy (11%). Trade with Italy grew by 24.2% and Portugal by 1.7%, while France maintained figures similar to 2023.
The subdelegate of the Government stressed the importance of maintaining and strengthening this successful export model, assuring that “these data demonstrate the ability of the Pontevedra industry to compete in international purchases and continue generating wealth and employment.” “Thanks to the efforts of the companies, we reached a record year that places Pontevedra as a benchmark of foreign trade in Spain,” said Losada, while reaffirming the commitment of the Government of Spain to continue supporting the business fabric and the promotion of foreign trade as happens with the aid to strengthen the competitiveness of the industrial sector of the different PERTE.