The EU experienced a 6% annual increase in fresh vegetables after harvesting around 62.2 million tons in 2024. Spain, Italy, and France were responsible for producing around 55% of the European Union’s fresh vegetables last year.
Onion production rose 11% from 2023 to 4.7 million tons, carrot production increased 6% to 4.7 million tons, while tomato production rose 5% to 16.8 million tons. Tomatoes primarily came from Italy, which produced 36%, followed by Spain at 27% and Portugal at 10%. The Netherlands was responsible for one quarter of all onions harvested last year, with Spain producing an additional 20%, and Germany 12%. Germany was also the top producer of carrots (18%), followed by France (14%), and Poland (12%).
Europe’s fruit harvest declined by 2% from 2023, with total production coming in at 24.3 million tons. Italy produced the majority of fruits, nuts, and berries (5.3 million tons), followed by Spain (4.3 million tons), and Poland (4.1 million tons). These three nations were responsible for 57% of Europe’s fruit harvest. Apple production declined by 4% YoY at 11.6 million tons, with the majority coming from Poland (29%), Italy (21%), and France (17%).
The European Union is a new exporter by volume of vegetables. The bloc exported 21.4 million tons of fresh vegetables last year, with imports coming in at 20.2 million. However, vegetable exports hit €43 billion in 2024, while imports were higher at €75 billion. Domestic consumption of vegetables stood at 61 million tons. Fresh fruit exports rose around 10% from €7.8 billion in 2023 to approximately €8.6 billion in 2024.
Despite the strong vegetable harvest and slight decrease in fruit, prices remained stagnant for European consumers, with Eastern European nations experiencing higher price increases. Agriculture comes at a higher cost due to regulation. Increased fuel and fertilizer prices have impacted European farmers. Shipping costs have fallen from the pandemic era but remain elevated from pre-2020 levels. Extreme weather events have disrupted the production of certain crops like olive oil, but overall, prices are elevated due to policies rather than shortages.
