The Spanish produce industry is said to be 'worried' at the recent vote by U.K. citizens to leave the European Union, given the high proportion of exports shipped to the market.

Spain's Federation of Fruit, Vegetable, Flower and Live Plant Grower Exporter Associations (FEPEX) said the U.K. was currently the country's third-largest export market, receiving 1.1 million metric tons (MT) of produce annually with a value of around €1.6 billion (US$1.8 billion).

Of the total exports, a little more than half correspondes to vegetables, with tomato, cabbage, lettuce and onion the four most important crops.

In terms of fruit exports, mandarins, oranges, lemons, melons, table grapes, nectarines, and watermelons represent the largest volumes.

"The evolution of Spanish fresh fruit and vegetable exports to the U.K. has been growing over the recent years, surpassing 1.1 million MT and now representing our third-largest market, behind Germany and France," FEPEX said.

"The in the last five years, exports to the U.K. have grown 29%."

"At the moment, the main concern for the fruit and vegetable sector is related to the devaluation of the British pound against the euro."

The value of the pound fell sharply against various currencies in the wake of the vote.

On Friday, U.K. trade association the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) said there would likely be 'no immediate changes' to import and export regulatory requirements, but added the decision would have a ‘number of impacts’ on future trade.

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