46pc of food is bought by tourists

PALMA
SPENDING on food in the Balearics reached a total of 3'127 million euros in 2005.
Of this, 1'711 million (53.9 percent) was spent by residents of the islands and 1'461.2 million (46.1 percent) was spent by tourists.
Among the residents, the average expenditure on food is practically the same as the national average, 1'711 euros per person on the islands, as opposed to the 1'773 euros national average, according to figures from the Study of the Balearic Agricultural Sector published by the Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Questions (ICAM).

The study was commissioned by the Balearic Ministry for Agriculture and Fisheries, and was directed by Jaime Lamo de Espinosa and Ramon Tamames.
In 2005 the national consumption of food products reached 77'810 million euros, distributed in the following manner: homes 73.7 percent; catering sector 23.8 percent; and institutions 2.5 percent. The Balearic profile in this respect is practically the same as the state. So, the 1'711.5 million euros spent by Balearic residents on food is distributed thus: homes 1'261.4 million euros; catering sector 407.3 million euros; and institutions 42.8 million.

The consumption of food by tourists on the islands (1'461.2 million euros) is an average of 146 euros per tourist.
The estimated expenditure on food for tourists cannot be taken as including everything, as part of this expenditure is made in establishments which are not controlled, for example private homes and flats rented for holidays.

Because of this, it cannot be ignored that some of the tourist consumption will be counted as consumption by residents.
There could also be a certain overvaluation in this type of food consumption.
As has been noted above, the largest component of food expenditure is for homes, which in 2005 was 73.7 percent of the total.
If we only look at homes, the food expenditure for the Balearic residents was 1'283 euros per person in 2005, lower than the national average of 1'307 euros per head.

In the listing of who spent most, the islands come behind Navarra (1'545 euros per head), Catalonia (1'524 euros), Aragon (1'480 euros), Asturias (1'474 euros), Cantabria (1'427 euros), Castilla and Leon (1'423 euros), the Basque region (1'405 euros), Madrid (1'346 euros), and La Rioja (1'295 euros).