8.2 Million Tonnes of Courgettes Produced in the EU (2020–2024): A Complete Data Breakdown

EU Market Share: Who Dominates Courgette Production?

Over the 2020–2024 period, EU courgette production totalled 8,155.42 thousand tonnes, with the annual average reaching 1,631.08 thousand tonnes. The three largest producers — Spain, Italy, and France — contributed 83.3% of the total.

Spain produced 3.05 million tonnes (610.92 thousand t/yr), maintaining its position as Europe's dominant courgette grower. Italy contributed 2.90 million tonnes (580.93 thousand t/yr), while France added 0.83 million tonnes (166.91 thousand t/yr). Greece, Germany, Belgium, Poland, and Portugal each produced between 166 and 273 thousand tonnes, forming a competitive middle tier.

Agricultural Efficiency: Yield per Hectare

Although Spain and Italy dominate total volume, their land-use efficiency differs substantially. Because Eurostat does not report a dedicated yield indicator for courgettes, yields are calculated by dividing production by harvested area.

Spain achieves by far the highest yield per hectare, averaging 53.9 t/ha over the five-year period — nearly double Italy's 29.3 t/ha. This exceptional efficiency is driven by intensive greenhouse cultivation in the Almería region. France maintains respectable yields averaging 37.5 t/ha, though its 2024 figure of 32.7 t/ha marks a notable drop from 42.5 t/ha in 2020. Greece averages 28.7 t/ha, the lowest among the top producers.

The contrast between Spain and Italy is striking: Spain produces roughly 1.8 times more courgettes per hectare than Italy, despite allocating only half the land area. This demonstrates that total production volume alone does not reflect underlying productivity differences.

Regional and Climatic Divides Across Europe

Courgette production in the EU is overwhelmingly concentrated in the Mediterranean basin, which accounts for more than three-quarters of total output. The warm, sunny climate of Southern Europe provides ideal conditions for courgette cultivation, while cooler northern and central regions contribute much smaller shares.

The Mediterranean bloc — Spain, Italy, Greece, and Portugal — produced 6.40 million tonnes (1,279.70 thousand t/yr), or 78.5% of the EU total. Western Europe, led by France and supplemented by Belgium and the Netherlands, contributed 1.12 million tonnes (13.7%). Central and Eastern European countries, including Germany, Poland, Hungary, Austria, and Bulgaria, produced a combined 517.74 thousand tonnes (6.3%), reflecting a cooler climate that is less suited to outdoor courgette cultivation. The remaining 122.12 thousand tonnes (1.5%) came from smaller producers across the EU.

Temporal Trends: Market Stability vs. Volatility

The five-year window reveals contrasting stability profiles among the top producers.

Spain shows moderate year-over-year variation: output ranged from 566.47 thousand tonnes (2023) to 638.16 thousand tonnes (2021), a coefficient of variation of roughly 5%. Italy exhibits similar stability, with annual volumes between 558.94 thousand tonnes (2022) and 601.66 thousand tonnes (2021).

France demonstrates a clear downward trend, with production declining every year from 2020 to 2023 before stabilising in 2024. The 2020 value carries a "b" flag, indicating a break in the time series, which may partially explain the level shift. Excluding the 2020 break, French production still fell by 24% between 2021 (190.93 thousand tonnes) and 2024 (144.66 thousand tonnes).

Greece shows the steepest relative decline, dropping 30% from 64.35 thousand tonnes in 2020 to 45.32 thousand tonnes in 2024. All Greek data points carry the "e" (estimated) flag, meaning figures may be revised in future transmissions.

Germany stands out as the most stable producer, maintaining annual output in a narrow band between 41.53 and 47.95 thousand tonnes over the five years.

Land Allocation: How Countries Prioritize Farmland for Courgettes

Over the five-year period, the EU devoted 220.15 thousand hectares to courgette cultivation, averaging 44.03 thousand ha per year.

Italy dedicates the most land to courgettes with 99.17 thousand hectares (45.0% of the EU total, 19.83 thousand ha/yr) — nearly double Spain's 56.69 thousand hectares — yet produces roughly the same total volume. This reflects the dramatic yield gap between the two countries: Spain grows 53.9 t/ha on average versus Italy's 29.3 t/ha. France, despite being the third-largest producer, allocates only 22.21 thousand hectares (4.44 thousand ha/yr), consistent with its declining area trend. Greece rounds out the top four with 9.52 thousand hectares (1.90 thousand ha/yr).

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