Determinants of business longevity in the Spanish tropical fruit industry

This study explores the determinants of business survival in Spain’s tropical and subtropical fruit sector from 2006 to 2021. Using data from the Iberian Financial Statements Analysis System, and applying survival analysis techniques including Cox regression, we assess the effects of factors including company age, legal form, CEO gender, location, sales volume, and indebtedness on firm survival. Results show that higher sales and certain legal forms improve survival, while indebtedness and economic downturns, such as the 2008 crisis, increase failure risk. CEO gender and location also significantly influence outcomes. This research contributes to the limited extant literature on survival analysis in the Spanish agricultural sector. It also has important practical implications for policy-makers, entrepreneurs, managers and business owners in the sector. Companies must pay special attention to sales and crisis management. Furthermore, both geographical location and legal form must be fully taken into account when assessing business risks, highlighting their substantial influence on the performance or survival of companies.