ICEX and Granada Chamber: from 3 to 2 inverse agri-food missions in 2026

Key data

Agri-food companies in Granada lose an internationalization window in 2026. The second addendum to the agreement between ICEX and the Official Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services and Navigation of Granada eliminates the inverse mission extension linked to Fruit Attraction 2026, as it is not possible to organize it before the event takes place. The original agreement, signed in January 2025, contemplated three extensions; after this modification, only two remain.

The resolution was signed on October 20, 2026 and published in the BOE on October 29, 2026. It directly affects agri-food producers and exporters in the province who relied on this program to receive international buyers and opinion leaders in their territory.

What does this regulation establish?

The original agreement between ICEX and the Granada Chamber, signed in January 2025, established the organization of three inverse mission extensions of international buyers in the agri-food sector in the province of Granada. These inverse missions consist of bringing foreign buyers and opinion leaders to visit local producers, coinciding with major sector trade fairs.

The second addendum modifies that agreement by eliminating one of the three extensions. The comparative table is as follows:

The reason for cancellation is explicit in the resolution: the impossibility of organizing the extension before Fruit Attraction 2026 takes place. This is not a budget reduction or a change in strategic criteria, but a specific operational limitation.

Economic and operational impact

Inverse missions are one of the most effective instruments for SMEs in the agri-food sector to access international buyers without having to travel or assume the costs of participating in trade fairs abroad. The buyer comes to the company, not the other way around.

The elimination of the Fruit Attraction 2026 extension means:

• One less opportunity to receive buyers from Europe, America, Asia and Africa in the province of Granada during 2026.
• Lower visibility of the Granada agri-food sector before international opinion leaders in the context of one of Europe's most important horticultural trade fairs.
• Concentration of effort in two windows: Salón Gourmets (Madrid) and Alimentaria 2026 (Barcelona), both oriented towards gourmet products and large-scale food distribution respectively.

For companies that had already oriented their 2026 commercial agenda expecting three missions, the impact is direct: they must reconsider their strategy for attracting international buyers for the period when Fruit Attraction takes place.

Who does it affect?

• Agri-food producers and exporters in the province of Granada who participate or aspire to participate in the ICEX inverse missions program.
• Companies in the horticultural sector that had identified Fruit Attraction as the most relevant fair for their product and expected to receive buyers in that context.
• Cooperatives and associations of agri-food producers in Granada that use these programs to open international markets.
• International buyers and opinion leaders from Europe, America, Asia and Africa who were scheduled to participate in the Fruit Attraction extension.
• The Official Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services and Navigation of Granada, as the organizing entity, which will have to redistribute resources towards the two missions that remain.

Practical example

A Granada-based extra virgin olive oil producer had planned its internationalization agenda for 2026 counting on three key moments to receive international buyers at its facilities: Salón Gourmets (Madrid, spring), Alimentaria (Barcelona, spring) and Fruit Attraction (Madrid, autumn).

After the second addendum, the Fruit Attraction 2026 extension is cancelled. This company loses the opportunity to receive buyers from Asian or American markets who typically attend Fruit Attraction looking for horticultural suppliers and oils. To fill this gap, it will need to evaluate alternatives: direct participation in Fruit Attraction as an exhibitor, active prospecting through other ICEX programs, or direct contact with importers in target markets without the logistical support of the inverse missions program.

What should companies do now?

1. Confirm participation in the two missions that remain: Contact the Granada Chamber of Commerce to verify deadlines and registration requirements for the Salón Gourmets 2026 and Alimentaria 2026 extensions, which remain active.
2. Reconsider the strategy for Fruit Attraction 2026: Evaluate whether it is worthwhile to participate as a direct exhibitor at the fair or activate other ICEX instruments (commercial missions abroad, buyer agenda at fair, etc.) to compensate for the cancelled mission.
3. Review the 2026 internationalization plan: Identify which target buyers typically attended Fruit Attraction and seek alternative contact channels before the event.
4. Consult with the Granada Chamber if there is any complementary initiative planned for the Fruit Attraction period, given that the cancellation is due to logistical reasons and not lack of institutional interest.
5. Stay alert to new ICEX calls for inverse missions or other export support programs for the agri-food sector that may fill the gap left by this extension.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-22693