How Has SARS-COV-2 Affected the Different Branches of Agri-Food Industry? A Study Focused on the Region of Extremadura

Abstract

The pandemic caused by Covid-19 has been causing a great im­pact on the world economy since 2020. This study analyses the impact of the pandemic on innovative agri-food companies from different branches of agro-industrial activity located in Extremadura (Spain) to determine which activities have been most affected and whether there are differences be­tween the actions and changes carried out depending on the nature of the product, process or services. The information was obtained using an online questionnaire in which the research questions were proposed (what conse­quences, actions or changes has the pandemic had on the development of your activities?). Data were analysed descriptively, studying statistically the existence of independence or not between the effects and the actions carried out depending on agri-food industry branches of activity. The main results have shown that in general, all the agro-industrial branches have incorpo­rated changes in their products and services, mainly by providing new and better customer benefits and improving product formats and forms of pay­ment to suppliers