Catalan high-tech exports grew by 3.3% during the third quarter of 2017

• High-tech product exports totalled 1,651.8 million euros
• Medium-high level technological products surpassed 7,595 million euros

Catalan high technology product exports totalled 1,651.8 million euros in the third quarter of 2017, according to data published recently in a statement by the Institut d’Estadística de Catalunya (the Statistical Institute of Catalonia – Idescat). This figure represents a year-on-year increase of 3.3% and is mainly due to increased sales of computer, electronic and optical products (24.4%). In geographical terms, the growth of high tech sales has been similar, with 3.3% in the European Union and 3.2% in the rest of the world.

It is also worth noting that the sales of industrial products of a medium-high level amounted to 7,595.6 million euros and saw a 3.7% year-on-year increase in the third quarter of last year, which was mainly due to the increase in sales of chemical products (7.0%). Sales in the European Union increased by 3.4% and those of the rest of the world, by 4.5%.

Furthermore, medium-low level product exports, with a value of 2,511.8 million euros, increased the most with respect to the same quarter of the previous year (27.8%). Exports to countries outside the European Union increased by 40.6%, which was much higher than the figure for exports to the European Union (21.5%).

Finally, exports of low-tech products totalled 4,379.2 million euros, an increase of 3.5% when compared to the third quarter of 2016. This increase was motivated by an increase in sales to the EU (4.9%), while sales to the rest of the world remained fairly stable (0.7%).

[01/23/2018]