10-Year Production Trajectory: Rising Stars & Fading Producers
Across the EU-27, total apricot production fell from 664.3 thousand tonnes in 2016 to 573.0 thousand tonnes in 2025 — a net decline of 91.4 thousand tonnes (-13.7%, a -1.63% CAGR). The decade high came in 2017 at 790.8 thousand tonnes, and the decade low was 510.4 thousand tonnes in 2021.
Italy retained its position as the EU's top apricot producer, but its output slipped from 237.0 thousand tonnes in 2016 to 211.6 thousand tonnes in 2025 (a -1.25% CAGR, -25.5 thousand tonnes net) and was classified as Declining. Spain, the second-largest producer, was broadly flat (a -0.46% CAGR, -5.6 thousand tonnes net) and classified as Stable, though its output fluctuated widely between a low of 80.9 thousand tonnes in 2022 and a high of 176.3 thousand tonnes in 2018. France, the third-largest, declined modestly (a -1.18% CAGR, -11.5 thousand tonnes net); its 2020 value carries a break-in-series flag reflecting a reporting change.
The steepest production falls among the top eight producers came from Bulgaria (-25.93% CAGR, -93.3% net, collapsing from 15.5 thousand tonnes to just 1.0 thousand tonnes), Hungary (-11.70% CAGR, -67.4% net), Romania (-2.78% CAGR, -22.4% net), and Greece (-2.54% CAGR, -20.6% net). All eight of Greece's year values carry an estimated flag, indicating provisional or estimated reporting. The only rising producer was Austria, which nearly doubled its output (a 7.06% CAGR, +84.8% net), growing from 5.3 thousand tonnes to 9.7 thousand tonnes — though it remains the smallest producer among the top eight. Bulgaria's 2016 value is flagged as a definitional difference.
All values in 1 000 t. b = break in series, d = definition differs, e = estimated.
| Country | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | CAGR | Net Change (1 000 t) | Trajectory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 237.0 | 266.4 | 229.0 | 273.0 | 173.4 | 189.6 | 230.1 | 207.2 | 240.1 | 211.6 | -1.25% | -25.5 | Declining |
| Spain | 139.6 | 162.9 | 176.3 | 145.8 | 128.7 | 114.7 | 80.9 | 108.5 | 155.6 | 134.0 | -0.46% | -5.6 | Stable |
| France | 113.3 | 159.3 | 112.9 | 134.8 | 85.3b | 54.6 | 128.1 | 127.8 | 82.8 | 101.8 | -1.18% | -11.5 | Declining |
| Greece | 92.4e | 106.6e | 108.6e | 118.3e | 125.6e | 76.5e | 112.2e | 98.3e | 122.4e | 73.3e | -2.54% | -19.1 | Declining |
| Romania | 29.5 | 32.6 | 34.4 | 29.4 | 26.8 | 26.8 | 23.5 | 24.6 | 22.9 | 22.9 | -2.78% | -6.6 | Declining |
| Hungary | 23.5 | 24.1 | 14.3 | 25.5 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 24.1 | 16.3 | 25.0 | 7.7 | -11.70% | -15.9 | Declining |
| Bulgaria | 15.5d | 22.5 | 13.6 | 20.2 | 9.5 | 20.7 | 19.0 | 10.8 | 18.6 | 1.0 | -25.93% | -14.5 | Declining |
| Austria | 5.3 | 6.5 | 9.3 | 11.5 | 1.6 | 5.7 | 6.3 | 4.7 | 6.8 | 9.7 | +7.06% | +4.5 | Ascending |
| EU-27 | 664.3 | 790.8 | 709.3 | 771.3 | 570.8 | 510.4 | 637.4 | 607.6 | 683.7 | 573.0 | -1.63% | -91.4 | Declining |
Supply Stability Scorecard: Reliability Rankings
Volume leadership and supply reliability are both held by Italy in the apricot sector — a rare alignment. Ranking the top eight producers by coefficient of variation (CV), where a lower CV means steadier year-to-year output, Italy tops the list as both the largest-volume and most stable supplier (CV 13.2%), though its maximum single-year drawdown of -36.5% shows that even the most reliable producer can experience sharp seasonal losses.
Romania (CV 14.2%) and Greece (CV 16.7%) occupy the next stability tiers despite much smaller volumes. Greece's all-estimated dataset introduces some caveat, but its relatively low CV of 16.7% suggests reasonably consistent apricot output. Spain (CV 19.8%) falls just inside moderately stable territory, while France (CV 26.0%) crosses into the volatile zone despite being the third-largest producer.
At the most volatile end, Bulgaria (CV 41.2%) and Austria (CV 40.1%) are the least reliable sources. Bulgaria's -94.4% max drawdown — from 20.7 thousand tonnes in 2021 to 1.0 thousand tonnes in 2025 — is a near-total collapse. Hungary (CV 35.7%) also shows extreme volatility, with production swinging from 25.5 thousand tonnes down to 7.7 thousand tonnes over the decade. For buyers seeking dependable supply, Italy is the clear choice, combining volume leadership with the best stability metrics.
CV < 10% = Very stable; CV 10–20% = Moderately stable; CV > 20% = Volatile.
| Country | Mean (1 000 t) | CV% | Max Drawdown% | Years Below Mean | Stability Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 225.7 | 13.2% | -36.5% | 4 | 1 |
| Romania | 27.3 | 14.2% | -14.5% | 6 | 2 |
| Greece | 103.4 | 16.7% | -40.1% | 4 | 3 |
| Spain | 134.7 | 19.8% | -29.5% | 5 | 4 |
| France | 110.1 | 26.0% | -36.8% | 4 | 5 |
| Hungary | 18.3 | 35.7% | -69.3% | 5 | 6 |
| Austria | 6.7 | 40.1% | -86.3% | 6 | 7 |
| Bulgaria | 15.2 | 41.2% | -94.4% | 4 | 8 |
Land Allocation Shift: 10-Year Cropland Transformation
The land dedicated to apricots tells a story of modest net contraction with diverging country-level trends. EU-27 harvested apricot area fell from 72.5 thousand hectares in 2016 to 66.5 thousand hectares in 2025 — a net loss of about 6.0 thousand hectares (-8.3%, a -0.96% annualized rate). Because production declined faster than area, the implied EU-27 yield fell from 9.2 t/ha in 2016 to 8.6 t/ha in 2025, a loss of yield efficiency over the decade.
Spain cut the most apricot acreage in absolute terms, shedding 5.1 thousand hectares (-25.0%, a -3.14% annualized rate), while Italy trimmed a more modest 2.3 thousand hectares (-12.0%, -1.41%/yr). France contracted by 1.9 thousand hectares (-15.8%, -1.89%/yr), and its 2020 area value carries a break-in-series flag. Greece was the clearest land expander, adding 2.2 thousand hectares (+29.7%, a 2.93%/yr rate). Hungary, Bulgaria, and Austria also expanded their apricot area — albeit from small bases — by 9.4%, 19.6%, and 10.1% respectively.
Comparing production CAGR against area CAGR reveals mixed efficiency signals. Austria stands out with production growing far faster than area (a gap of +5.98 percentage points), implying strong yield improvement per hectare. Greece expanded area faster than production fell, suggesting a land-extensive strategy. Italy, Spain, and France all saw production outpace area loss — production held up better than the shrinking footprint, indicating at least some yield gains per remaining hectare.
All values in 1 000 ha. b = break in series, d = definition differs, e = estimated.
| Country | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Net Change (1 000 ha) | Growth Rate | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 18.9 | 17.4 | 17.8 | 17.9 | 17.8 | 17.7 | 17.4 | 17.4 | 17.0 | 16.6 | -2.3 | -1.41% | Contracting |
| Spain | 20.4 | 21.0 | 20.6 | 18.3 | 18.1 | 17.7 | 16.7 | 16.2 | 16.2 | 15.3 | -5.1 | -3.14% | Contracting |
| France | 12.2 | 12.2 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.1b | 11.9 | 11.4 | 11.1 | 10.5 | 10.3 | -1.9 | -1.89% | Contracting |
| Greece | 7.3e | 7.3e | 7.9e | 8.3e | 12.2e | 9.0e | 9.4e | 9.5e | 9.9e | 9.5e | +2.2 | +2.93% | Expanding |
| Romania | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | -0.2 | -0.94% | Contracting |
| Hungary | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 5.8 | 5.6 | 5.5 | 5.4 | +0.5 | +1.00% | Expanding |
| Bulgaria | 2.5d | 2.9 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 3.0 | +0.5 | +2.01% | Expanding |
| Austria | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | +0.1 | +1.08% | Expanding |
| EU-27 | 72.5 | 72.2 | 72.6 | 71.3 | 74.5 | 71.8 | 70.4 | 68.6 | 68.9 | 66.5 | -6.0 | -0.96% | Contracting |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which EU country grew its apricot production fastest from 2016 to 2025?
Austria was the only top producer to grow, with a 7.06% compound annual growth rate and a net gain of 4.5 thousand tonnes (+84.8%), rising from 5.3 thousand tonnes in 2016 to 9.7 thousand tonnes in 2025. Bulgaria and Hungary recorded the steepest declines, losing over 90% and 65% of their output respectively.
Which country is the most stable apricot supplier in the EU?
Italy is the most stable top producer, with the lowest coefficient of variation (13.2%) and the largest production volume (mean 225.7 thousand tonnes per year), though it still experienced a maximum single-year drop of -36.5%. Romania ranked second in stability (CV 14.2%), achieved with far smaller volumes.
Where is EU apricot farmland expanding or shrinking?
EU-27 harvested apricot area contracted by 6.0 thousand hectares (-8.3%) between 2016 and 2025. Spain cut the most acreage (-5.1 thousand hectares), while Greece was the leading expander (+2.2 thousand hectares, +29.7%). Hungary, Bulgaria, and Austria also increased their apricot area, all from relatively small bases.
Source data extracted from Eurostat dataset apro_cpsh1.
This article was generated using AI. The content is based on Eurostat data and is provided as a starting point — please verify all data with the original source.
