Last year, the Region of Murcia's juice and natural drink exports amounted to 315 million euro, consolidating it as the country's leading exporting province in this sector.
The exports' main destinations were the United Kingdom, France, Portugal, Germany, and South Korea, and their value increased by 22% over 2019, stated Antonio Luengo, the Minister of Water, Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Environment, during his visit to the facilities of the AMC Natural Drinks company.
"The juice sector generates more than 2,200 direct jobs and many other indirect ones in the Region. In 2020, it achieved sales for more than 800 million," Luengo highlighted. Currently, the autonomous community of Murcia has 11 juice-producing companies located in Murcia, Archena, Lorqui, Cehegin, Alhama de Murcia, Alcantarilla, and Jumilla.
"We can't allow healthy products to be demonized"
“A few days ago we asked the Ministry of Consumption to remove juices from the royal decree it's preparing to regulate children's advertising of unhealthy foods and beverages, as we are talking about natural products that have no added sugars and benefit consumers,” Luengo added.
“We cannot allow healthy products that contribute to a balanced diet to be singled out and demonized with no real arguments. This is a sector that is highly committed to food safety, sustainability, and nutritional improvement. It makes a great effort in R+D+i to improve the composition of its products, especially the products aimed at children, by incorporating fruit fibers, vegetable juices, or pomegranate, watermelon, or blueberry juice to them,” he stated.
