"A trade war has no winners, we all lose," warned the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, on Thursday in relation to the order issued by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, to increase tariffs on products from Mexico, Canada, and China. "We must be prepared to take appropriate measures in the face of a trade war that benefits no one, we will stand firm," he assured this morning during the presentation of the National Food Strategy, a document with which the Government aims to consolidate Spain as a global food power and one of the commitments of the current term.
In this regard, and referring to Trump's measures, Sánchez stated that we must acknowledge that our food supply cannot depend on what anyone says in any corner of the world, nor should tariffs be imposed out of sheer opportunism." And in response to this, he sent a message to Europe: "Unity is strength" and "Europe's sovereignty is at stake" and among the solutions he pointed out that "we need to diversify suppliers" because "playing with food is not an option." "We will defend our farmers, our livestock breeders, and cooperatives," he said, but "we will also extend a hand to avoid this tariff war," which he emphasized "benefits no one," especially when food is at stake.
In this sense, he emphasized that "against short-term thinking, nothing is better than a long-term strategy like this national food strategy." A plan that is pioneering in our country and also in Europe and aims to articulate a comprehensive food system that is also competitive and sustainable.
"If we took energetic measures during the most critical moments of the Ukraine war, how can we not do so precisely with what guarantees our survival," he argued. Spain is currently the fourth largest food exporter in the European Union (EU) and the seventh in the world. In addition to being the member state with the highest agricultural income, ¤37.759 billion in 2024.
The National Food Strategy is a project that stems from Sánchez's proposal in his investiture debate and was prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food during 2024, according to sources from the Ministry to Servimedia. It is based on the "diversity of accessible and high-quality healthy products" and for this, it explains, "we have a true roadmap aimed at strengthening our position in Europe," based on "quality, safety, and innovation, the great pillars of the Spanish system."
On the one hand, strategic supply to ensure availability and stability in food supply and to promote trade policies that guarantee the competitiveness of the agri-food sector.
Secondly, integrating sustainability in various key areas, such as public procurement and packaging management through responsible practices, as well as promoting circularity and bioeconomy to utilize by-products.
On the other hand, the National Strategy seeks to strengthen rural and coastal areas by improving competitiveness through training, promoting sustainable rural policies, and generational renewal in the agri-food sector.
Promoting healthy and accessible food for the entire population is also one of the ministry's major challenges, as well as its commitment to the development of digitalization in production models, promoting the generation and transfer of knowledge among the actors in the food chain, and regulation that favors innovation.
And finally, improving "food information for consumers" through labeling and what is displayed in purchasing channels and points of sale to ensure the accuracy of all messages regarding food.