EU Market Share: Who Dominates Production?
France alone produced more than one-third of all fresh peas in the European Union from 2020 to 2024, with a five-year total of 1,384,010 tonnes (276,800 t/yr). Türkiye, the second-largest producer, contributed 626,000 tonnes (125,200 t/yr) for a 15.5% share, followed by Spain at 581,800 tonnes (116,400 t/yr, 14.4%). Hungary and Italy round out the top five with 407,080 tonnes (81,400 t/yr, 10.1%) and 388,530 tonnes (77,700 t/yr, 9.6%) respectively, while Belgium adds 340,390 tonnes (68,100 t/yr, 8.4%).
These six countries combined produced 3,727,810 tonnes, or 92.3% of the EU27 total of 4,038,260 tonnes. No other member state exceeds 5% of the EU total, underscoring the dominance of this core group.
| Member State | Total (1 000 t) | Annual Avg (1 000 t/yr) | % of EU Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 1,384.01 | 276.8 | 34.3% |
| Türkiye | 626.0 | 125.2 | 15.5% |
| Spain | 581.8 | 116.4 | 14.4% |
| Hungary | 407.08 | 81.4 | 10.1% |
| Italy | 388.53 | 77.7 | 9.6% |
| Belgium | 340.39 | 68.1 | 8.4% |
Agricultural Efficiency: Yield per Hectare
While France dominates by total volume, Türkiye leads in production efficiency with an implied yield of 9.94 tonnes per hectare — far above any other major producer. Spain follows at 6.77 t/ha, and France itself achieves 6.45 t/ha, demonstrating that its volume leadership is supported by above-average land productivity rather than by land area alone.
Belgium (6.17 t/ha) and the Netherlands (6.21 t/ha) also post strong yields despite their smaller geographic footprints. At the lower end, Italy (4.94 t/ha) and Hungary (4.76 t/ha) achieve yields roughly half that of Türkiye, suggesting that these countries require proportionally larger cultivated areas to reach their total production volumes. The yield gap between the most and least efficient major producers exceeds 5 t/ha, representing more than a two-fold difference in land productivity.
These yield figures are calculated from production and harvested area data within the Eurostat dataset, as direct yield statistics for fresh peas are not published as a separate indicator.
| Member State | Implied Yield (t/ha) | Production Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Türkiye | 9.94 | 2nd |
| Spain | 6.77 | 3rd |
| Netherlands | 6.21 | 7th |
| Belgium | 6.17 | 6th |
| France | 6.45 | 1st |
| Italy | 4.94 | 5th |
| Hungary | 4.76 | 4th |
Regional and Climatic Divides Across Europe
Fresh peas production is heavily weighted toward Western Europe, which accounts for nearly half of all EU output. The Mediterranean and Eastern European regions each contribute substantial shares, while the Nordic countries represent a smaller but consistent segment of the market.
Western Europe's 1,994,460 tonnes (398,900 t/yr) nearly equals the combined output of the Mediterranean and Eastern European regions put together. Türkiye, as a notable non-EU producer, would rank alongside the Eastern European bloc in total volume with 626,000 tonnes over the period, placing it ahead of the Nordic region by a wide margin.
| Region | Member States | Total (1 000 t) | Annual Avg (1 000 t/yr) | Share of EU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Europe | FR, BE, NL, DE | 1,994.46 | 398.9 | 49.4% |
| Mediterranean/South | ES, IT, EL, PT | 1,072.32 | 214.5 | 26.6% |
| Eastern Europe | HU, PL, RO, CZ, SK, BG | 718.43 | 143.7 | 17.8% |
| Nordics | SE, FI, DK | 178.24 | 35.6 | 4.4% |
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 moderate year-to-year variation with output ranging between 246,000 and 314,000 tonnes annually. A break in series occurred in 2020, flagged with Eurostat's "b" marker, indicating a discontinuity in the data collection methodology that year which may affect direct year-over-year comparisons with later years.
Spain's production fluctuated from 98,000 to 139,000 tonnes, peaking in 2021 before declining in subsequent years — a pattern that produced a spread of more than 40,000 tonnes between the high and low years. Hungary experienced the most dramatic shift among the top six, dropping 38% from 91,400 tonnes in 2023 to just 56,600 tonnes in 2024, the steepest single-year decline among all major producers.
In contrast, Türkiye demonstrated strong growth throughout the period, rising from 108,000 tonnes in 2020 to a peak of 147,000 tonnes in 2023 (139,000 in 2024) — a 36% increase from its 2020 starting point. This made Türkiye the only top producer to achieve double-digit growth over the five-year window, though the slight decline in 2024 broke a three-year streak of uninterrupted gains.
| Member State | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 245.7b | 314.48 | 295.5 | 268.2 | 260.13 | Moderate variation |
| Türkiye | 108.0 | 112.0 | 120.0 | 147.0 | 139.0 | Strong growth, 2024 dip |
| Spain | 120.48 | 138.81 | 109.98 | 114.53 | 98.0 | Fluctuating, declining |
| Hungary | 90.02 | 86.79 | 82.34 | 91.35 | 56.58 | Volatile, 2024 drop |
Land Allocation: How Countries Prioritize Farmland
The EU27 dedicated 728,470 hectares to fresh peas over the five-year period, averaging 145,700 ha/yr. France leads in land allocation with 214,690 hectares (42,900 ha/yr), representing 29.5% of the total EU area dedicated to the crop — nearly three times the area of the next-largest country.
Belgium's area is calculated at approximately 55,170 hectares (11,000 ha/yr) based on its production volume and implied yield of 6.17 t/ha. Together, these six countries account for 582,780 hectares, or 80.0% of the total EU land area allocated to fresh peas. Despite dedicating only 63,000 hectares (12,600 ha/yr) — the fifth-largest area among the top producers — Türkiye achieves the second-highest total production, a direct result of its industry-leading yield efficiency.
| Member State | Area (1 000 ha) | Annual Avg (1 000 ha/yr) | % of EU Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 214.69 | 42.9 | 29.5% |
| Spain | 85.87 | 17.2 | 11.8% |
| Hungary | 85.44 | 17.1 | 11.7% |
| Italy | 78.61 | 15.7 | 10.8% |
| Türkiye | 63.0 | 12.6 | 8.6% |
| Belgium | 55.17 | 11.0 | 7.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country produces the most fresh peas in Europe?
France is the largest producer of fresh peas in Europe, with 1,384,010 tonnes from 2020 to 2024, representing 34.3% of the EU total at an average of 276,800 tonnes per year.
What is the average annual fresh peas production in the EU?
The EU27 produced an average of 807,650 tonnes of fresh peas per year between 2020 and 2024, based on a five-year total of 4,038,260 tonnes.
Which European country has the highest yield for fresh peas?
Türkiye achieves the highest implied yield at 9.94 tonnes per hectare, nearly double that of Italy (4.94 t/ha) and Hungary (4.76 t/ha), despite ranking second 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.
