EU Market Share: Who Dominates Production?
France alone produced more than one-third of all fresh beans in the European Union from 2020 to 2024, with a five-year total of 1,773.49 thousand tonnes (354.70 thousand t/yr). Italy, the second-largest producer, contributed 785.33 thousand tonnes (157.07 thousand t/yr) for a 15.7% share, followed by Spain at 664.97 thousand tonnes (132.99 thousand t/yr, 13.3%). Belgium and the Netherlands round out the top five with 467.91 thousand tonnes (93.58 thousand t/yr, 9.4%) and 305.02 thousand tonnes (61.00 thousand t/yr, 6.1%) respectively.
These six countries combined produced 4,299.42 thousand tonnes, or 86.2% of the EU27 total of 4,988.01 thousand tonnes. France alone produced more than Italy and Spain combined, underscoring its dominant position in fresh bean cultivation.
| Member State | Total (1 000 t) | Annual Avg (1 000 t/yr) | % of EU Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 1,773.49 | 354.70 | 35.6% |
| Italy | 785.33 | 157.07 | 15.7% |
| Spain | 664.97 | 132.99 | 13.3% |
| Belgium | 467.91 | 93.58 | 9.4% |
| Netherlands | 305.02 | 61.00 | 6.1% |
| Poland | 302.70 | 60.54 | 6.1% |
| Germany | 231.55 | 46.31 | 4.6% |
| Greece | 177.29 | 35.46 | 3.6% |
| Other EU | 279.75 | 55.95 | 5.6% |
| EU Total | 4,988.01 | 997.60 | 100% |
Agricultural Efficiency: Yield per Hectare
Although France leads in total volume, it is Spain that achieves the highest space efficiency. With an average yield of 18.86 tonnes per hectare, Spain is nearly 68% more productive per hectare than the EU average of 11.23 t/ha, and does so with only 35.27 thousand hectares of land — far less than France's 147.46 thousand hectares.
France's yield of 12.03 t/ha is only slightly above the EU average, while Italy — despite being the second-largest producer — records the lowest yield among the top producers at 9.17 t/ha. The Netherlands achieves a strong 12.73 t/ha, indicating efficient use of its limited agricultural land. These yield figures are calculated from production and harvested area data within the Eurostat dataset, as direct yield statistics for fresh beans are not published as a separate indicator.
| Member State | Implied Yield (t/ha) | Production Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | 18.86 | 3rd |
| Netherlands | 12.73 | 5th |
| France | 12.03 | 1st |
| Belgium | 11.69 | 4th |
| EU Average | 11.23 | — |
| Greece | 10.76 | 8th |
| Germany | 10.65 | 7th |
| Poland | 9.40 | 6th |
| Italy | 9.17 | 2nd |
Regional and Climatic Divides Across Europe
Fresh bean production is heavily concentrated in Western and Southern Europe, with distinct patterns across the continent. Western Europe accounts for more than half of all EU fresh bean production, driven overwhelmingly by France. Southern Europe contributes a third, with Italy and Spain as the main producers, while Eastern Europe's share is modest.
Western Europe's production totalled 2,777.97 thousand tonnes (555.59 thousand t/yr) over the five-year period, accounting for 55.7% of the EU total. The Mediterranean region contributed 1,681.87 thousand tonnes (336.37 thousand t/yr, 33.7%), while Eastern Europe added 464.19 thousand tonnes (92.84 thousand t/yr, 9.3%). Nordic countries represent a negligible share due to climate constraints.
| Region | Member States | Total (1 000 t) | Annual Avg (1 000 t/yr) | Share of EU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Europe | FR, BE, NL, DE | 2,777.97 | 555.59 | 55.7% |
| Southern Europe | IT, ES, EL, PT | 1,681.87 | 336.37 | 33.7% |
| Eastern Europe | PL, RO, HU, BG, CZ, SK | 464.19 | 92.84 | 9.3% |
Temporal Trends: Market Stability vs. Volatility
Annual production patterns across the five-year window reveal stark differences in market stability among the top producers.
France, the largest producer, shows notable volatility: after peaking at 424.76 thousand tonnes in 2021, output dropped by 25% to 315.98 thousand tonnes in 2023 before recovering slightly to 317.96 thousand tonnes in 2024. A break in series occurred in 2020, flagged with Eurostat's "b" marker, indicating a discontinuity that year.
Spain and Greece both show consistent year-over-year declines, with Spain dropping from 148.02 to 116.22 thousand tonnes and Greece falling from 42.97 to 23.34 thousand tonnes over the five years. Belgium is the most erratic producer, swinging between 69.26 and 113.15 thousand tonnes. In contrast, Poland shows a steady upward trajectory from 51.30 to 71.30 thousand tonnes, making it the fastest-growing major producer. Greece's figures are estimated (flag "e") across all years.
| Member State | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 336.77b | 424.76 | 378.02 | 315.98 | 317.96 | Volatile, recent decline |
| Italy | 162.22 | 169.90 | 147.40 | 152.43 | 153.38 | Stable |
| Spain | 148.02 | 147.22 | 134.10 | 119.41 | 116.22 | Declining |
| Belgium | 73.00 | 113.15 | 69.26 | 110.56 | 101.94 | Highly volatile |
| Netherlands | 48.84 | 60.60 | 53.02 | 73.58 | 68.98 | Moderate growth |
| Poland | 51.30 | 49.90 | 67.50 | 62.70 | 71.30 | Steady growth |
| Germany | 41.36 | 51.95 | 43.88 | 47.13 | 47.23 | Stable |
| Greece | 42.97e | 46.72e | 36.18e | 28.08e | 23.34e | Sharp decline |
Land Allocation: How Countries Prioritize Farmland
The EU devoted 443.99 thousand hectares to fresh bean cultivation over the 2020–2024 period, averaging 88.80 thousand hectares per year. France again leads, allocating nearly a third of the total EU fresh bean area.
France's 147.46 thousand hectares (29.49 thousand ha/yr) accounts for one-third of all EU fresh bean farmland. Italy's 85.60 thousand hectares (17.12 thousand ha/yr) places it second in land allocation, though its lower yield efficiency (9.17 t/ha) means it produces less volume per hectare than smaller producers like Spain or the Netherlands. Spain's relatively modest area of 35.27 thousand hectares (7.05 thousand ha/yr) combined with its industry-leading yield demonstrates how efficiency can offset smaller land footprints.
| Member State | Area (1 000 ha) | Annual Avg (1 000 ha/yr) | % of EU Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 147.46 | 29.49 | 33.2% |
| Italy | 85.60 | 17.12 | 19.3% |
| Belgium | 40.02 | 8.00 | 9.0% |
| Spain | 35.27 | 7.05 | 7.9% |
| Poland | 32.20 | 6.44 | 7.3% |
| Netherlands | 23.96 | 4.79 | 5.4% |
| Germany | 21.75 | 4.35 | 4.9% |
| Romania | 18.62 | 3.72 | 4.2% |
| Greece | 16.48 | 3.30 | 3.7% |
| Other EU | 22.63 | 4.53 | 5.1% |
| EU Total | 443.99 | 88.80 | 100% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which EU country produces the most fresh beans?
France is the largest producer of fresh beans in the EU, accounting for 35.6% of total output with 1,773.49 thousand tonnes over 2020–2024, averaging 354.70 thousand tonnes per year.
Has fresh bean production in the EU been growing or declining?
EU fresh bean production fluctuated between 947.53 and 1,134.87 thousand tonnes annually, declining from a peak of 1,134.87 thousand tonnes in 2021 to 947.53 thousand tonnes in 2024.
Which EU country has the highest fresh bean yield per hectare?
Spain achieves the highest yield at 18.86 tonnes per hectare, nearly 68% above the EU average of 11.23 t/ha, despite ranking third in total production volume.
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.
