The Minister of Agriculture, Water, Livestock, and Fisheries, Miguel Barrachina, has defended the need to continue boosting the agri-food industry of the Comunitat Valenciana after the sector has reached 5,518.2 million euros in exports in the first half of 2026, which represents an increase of 0.5% compared to the same period of the previous year.
Barrachina made these statements during a visit to the company Arte Láctico Caprino, located in Chiva (Valencia), a family-owned firm founded in 2006 and specialized in the production of cheeses, yogurts, kefir, and other products derived from goat's milk, with a presence in markets such as France, the United Kingdom, Lebanon, and Italy.
During the tour of the company, the minister was able to learn firsthand about its production lines, the drinkable dairy plant, and the new kefir plant currently under construction, as reported by the Generalitat.
The head of Agriculture emphasized that the export strength of the agri-food sector is closely linked to the ability to transform, innovate, and market Valencian productions more efficiently. In this regard, he advocated for an industry that supports the primary sector, facilitates the exit of its products, and can compete in increasingly demanding international markets.
He also stressed that a greater capacity for transformation ensures that a more significant part of the added value generated by Valencian products remains in the Comunitat Valenciana and translates into economic activity, employment, and new opportunities for farmers and ranchers.
The importance of the sector is also reflected in its trade balance. In the first six months of the year, the Valencian agri-food sector recorded a surplus of 2,065.6 million euros, compared to the deficit of 780.4 million with which the entire set of economic sectors of the Comunitat Valenciana closed that same period.
Valencian agri-food exports account for 13.6% of the total Spanish agri-food sector and 27.3% of the total foreign sales of the Comunitat Valenciana. Germany and France are the main destinations, followed by Italy, the United Kingdom, and Portugal.
Barrachina has emphasized that these figures highlight the sector's ability to compete in international markets and has reiterated the convenience of continuing to consolidate an agri-food chain in which production, transformation, innovation, and marketing advance in a coordinated manner.
To this end, the Conselleria has a budget of 392.4 million euros in 2026, 7% more than in the previous year, and plans to mobilize around 150 million in aid aimed at modernizing, recovering, and strengthening the competitiveness of the Valencian countryside. Among the main lines of action, 50 million stand out for the modernization of agricultural operations and nine million aimed at improving the competitiveness of Valencian livestock.
Generational change in the Valencian countryside
The conseller has linked the strengthening of the agri-food industry with the promotion of generational change. In the Foia de Bunyol, the call for aid for young and new farmers has allowed for 16 new incorporations, 14 of them young people, with a total investment of 750,000 euros. One of these new incorporations corresponds to the municipality of Chiva.
To conclude, Barrachina has reiterated that the objective of the Generalitat is to continue promoting an agri-food sector capable of transforming more Valencian products, gaining presence in the markets, and generating more opportunities for the entire countryside.