Murcia food industry boosts investment 25%

The Region of Murcia’s food industry increased annual investment to 364 million euros in 2024, up 25% from 290 million euros in 2023, according to data reported on Wednesday and attributed to the latest annual economic report by Spain’s food and drink federation FIAB. The increase was tied to factory spending to improve production processes, according to La Verdad and Murcia Plaza. The same reports said Murcia ranked behind only Catalonia and Navarra among Spain’s regions on that investment measure. The figures add to a wider picture of a sector that holds an outsized role in Murcia’s industrial base. ### Where does the 25% increase come from? The 364 million euro total for 2024 compares with 290 million euros in 2023, implying a year-on-year increase of about 25.5%. Murcia Plaza, citing FIAB’s annual economic report, said companies in the region raised investment as they pursued new production upgrades. La Verdad reported the same totals and said the spending was aimed at improving production processes. Wednesday’s reporting did not identify a single company behind the increase. (laverdad.es) The articles described the rise as a regional factory-level trend across the food industry rather than a one-off project. ### How important is food manufacturing in Murcia’s economy? Murcia Plaza reported on May 20 that food accounts for 27% of total industrial turnover in the Region of Murcia, compared with a national average of 19%, citing FIAB’s latest annual report. (laverdad.es) The same report said the sector contributes 30% of secondary-sector employment in Murcia, versus 18% for Spain as a whole. A November 2025 report by PwC, prepared with Agrupal, Caja Rural Central and the regional agriculture department, said the food industry contributed more than 4.318 billion euros to Murcia’s gross domestic product, or 11% of the regional total, and supported 92,840 direct and indirect jobs, equivalent to 14% of employment in the region. ### How does Murcia compare with the rest of Spain? (murciaplaza.com) La Verdad said Murcia’s 2024 investment level placed it second only to Catalonia and Navarra among Spain’s regions. Murcia Plaza separately described Murcia as one of the country’s strongest food-industry regions, though it did not repeat the full ranking in the excerpt available. Nationally, Spain’s Agriculture Ministry says the food industry is the country’s leading manufacturing branch, with 178.9 billion euros in turnover and 27,896 companies, based on the latest structural business statistics cited in its annual report for 2024-2025. (pwc.es) The ministry also says the sector represents 25.7% of manufacturing turnover in Spain. (laverdad.es) ### Is Murcia also expanding abroad? Murcia Plaza reported that more than 1,900 companies from the sector exported in 2025, up 15% from 1,650 in 2024. The article said Murcia now accounts for 10.2% of Spain’s international food-industry sales, making it the fourth-largest regional contributor after Andalusia, Catalonia and Valencia. (mapa.gob.es) April 2025 export figures reported by Europa Press put Murcia’s food-industry exports at 3.322 billion euros in 2024, up 7% from 2023. That report said the region remained one of Spain’s most export-oriented food hubs. ### What public support is already in the pipeline? The regional government said in June 2025 that it had selected 36 projects under its “Incontra” aid line for food-industry modernization. (murciaplaza.com) Those projects were expected to generate more than 120 million euros in investment, backed by a 24 million euro program, according to official statements reported by Europa Press and other local outlets. (europapress.es) FIAB says its economic reports are published annually as the federation’s reference study on the sector, and Spain’s Agriculture Ministry maintains the national series of annual industry reports on its website. Those publications are the next reference points for updated regional and national comparisons. (fiab.es) (europapress.es)