10-Year Production Trajectory: Rising Stars & Fading Producers
EU-27 garlic production started at 296.3 thousand tonnes in 2015, climbed steadily to a peak of 469.9 thousand tonnes in 2021, then retraced to 375.4 thousand tonnes by 2024. Over the full decade, output grew at an estimated 2.7% CAGR, adding 79.1 thousand tonnes.
Spain remains the undisputed leader, accounting for roughly two-thirds of EU garlic production throughout the decade. Spanish output grew at a 3.62% CAGR, adding 67.3 thousand tonnes, though 2023 saw a sharp dip to 194.3 thousand tonnes before rebounding to 245.7 thousand tonnes in 2024.
France posted the strongest sustained growth among established producers, with a 5.79% CAGR and production rising from 17.3 to 28.8 thousand tonnes — a 65.9% net increase. Poland followed a similar ascending path, growing at 5.04% CAGR and nearly matching French volumes by 2024 (20.4 thousand tonnes).
Portugal recorded the highest CAGR at 27.79%, though this reflects expansion from a very low starting point (1.7 thousand tonnes in 2015). Volumes reached 15.4 thousand tonnes by 2024, supported by area growth.
Italy remained stable with virtually no trend (-0.33% CAGR), hovering around 26–30 thousand tonnes annually.
Three countries saw production contract. Romania declined steeply at -7.09% CAGR, falling from 34.5 to 17.8 thousand tonnes — a loss of nearly half its 2015 volume. Hungary contracted at -3.05% CAGR, dropping from 6.9 to 5.2 thousand tonnes. Greece saw the steepest relative decline at -9.69% CAGR, with production halving from 10.0 to 4.0 thousand tonnes.
All values in 1 000 t. e = estimated, p = provisional, b = break in series.
| Country | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | CAGR | Net Change (1 000 t) | Trajectory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES | 178.4 | 209.8 | 274.7 | 273.5 | 271.4 | 269.1 | 315.7 | 281.9 | 194.3 | 245.7 | 3.62% | 67.3 | Ascending |
| IT | 27.1 | 29.6 | 30.0 | 30.5 | 29.3 | 28.0 | 28.7 | 27.9 | 26.7 | 26.3 | –0.33% | –0.8 | Stable |
| RO | 34.5 | 27.9 | 29.4 | 30.6 | 27.7 | 31.6 | 30.1 | 22.5 | 20.6 | 17.8 | –7.09% | –16.7 | Declining |
| FR | 17.3 | 21.9 | 20.5 | 20.1 | 28.1 | 30.3b | 28.8 | 19.4 | 29.3 | 28.8 | 5.79% | 11.4 | Ascending |
| PL | 13.1e | 16.1e | 16.7e | 15.8e | 15.1e | 15.3 | 25.2 | 20.5 | 19.4 | 20.4 | 5.04% | 7.3 | Ascending |
| PT | 1.7 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 12.2 | 14.2 | 6.2 | 9.1p | 15.4p | 27.79% | 13.8 | Ascending |
| HU | 6.9 | 7.9 | 7.4 | 7.9 | 7.1 | 5.2 | 5.6 | 5.5 | 5.3 | 5.2 | –3.05% | –1.7 | Declining |
| EL | 10.0 | 5.8e | 6.1e | 6.1e | 4.4e | 7.8e | 8.3e | 6.4e | 4.1e | 4.0e | –9.69% | –6.0 | Declining |
| EU-27 | 296.3 | 335.3 | 396.0 | 398.6 | 398.7 | 414.4 | 469.9 | 401.5 | 320.4 | 375.4 | 2.67% | 79.1 | Ascending |
Supply Stability Scorecard: Reliability Rankings
Supply stability varies widely across EU garlic producers. Italy leads — by a wide margin — while Portugal and Greece show the highest year-to-year volatility.
Italy is the most reliable supplier with a remarkably low CV of 4.77% and a modest maximum drawdown of -4.44%. This consistency stands in stark contrast to Spain, which ranks second for stability but experienced a -31.06% drawdown in 2023. Hungary ranks third (CV 17.14%), offering moderate stability despite its declining trend.
At the other end, Portugal (CV 80.68%) and Greece (CV 29.32%) display the highest volatility. Portugal's extreme CV reflects its rapid expansion from a minimal base, while Greece's data includes several estimated (e-flagged) values contributing to uncertainty.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IT | 28.4 | 4.77 | –4.44 | 5 | 1 |
| ES | 251.5 | 16.47 | –31.06 | 4 | 2 |
| HU | 6.4 | 17.14 | –26.83 | 5 | 3 |
| RO | 27.3 | 18.42 | –25.32 | 3 | 4 |
| PL | 17.8 | 19.09 | –18.65 | 6 | 5 |
| FR | 24.5 | 19.43 | –32.58 | 5 | 6 |
| EL | 6.3 | 29.32 | –41.83 | 6 | 7 |
| PT | 6.7 | 80.68 | –79.90 | 6 | 8 |
Land Allocation Shift: 10-Year Cropland Transformation
Total EU garlic area expanded from 37.2 to 42.0 thousand hectares over the decade, a net increase of 4.8 thousand hectares (+1.36% growth rate).
Five countries expanded garlic area. Poland posted the fastest growth rate at 6.97% per year, nearly doubling its area from 1.2 to 2.2 thousand hectares. France grew at 5.69% annually, expanding from 2.6 to 4.2 thousand hectares. Portugal also grew rapidly (6.42%), though from a small base.
Spain's garlic area increased 14.3% overall, peaking at 29.8 thousand hectares in 2021–2022 before retracing to 22.9 thousand hectares in 2024. Italy's area edged slightly higher (+0.95% growth rate).
Three countries — Romania, Hungary, and Greece — reduced garlic area. Greece recorded the steepest contraction at -10.23% per year, losing 62.1% of its garlic area. Hungary followed at -4.90% and Romania at -3.06%.
Notably, France and Poland achieved their production gains primarily through area expansion rather than yield improvement. Their area growth rates (5.69% and 6.97%) closely track their production CAGRs (5.79% and 5.04%), suggesting extensification rather than intensification.
All values in 1 000 ha. e = estimated, p = provisional, b = break in series.
| Country | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Net Change (1 000 ha) | Growth Rate | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES | 20.0 | 24.3 | 26.6 | 28.4 | 27.4 | 27.9 | 29.8 | 29.8 | 25.6 | 22.9 | 2.9 | 1.50% | Expanding |
| IT | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 0.95% | Expanding |
| RO | 6.3 | 5.9 | 5.7 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 4.8 | –1.5 | –3.06% | Contracting |
| FR | 2.6 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.7 | 4.2b | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 1.7 | 5.69% | Expanding |
| PL | 1.2e | 1.2e | 1.4e | 1.4e | 1.4e | 1.4 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 6.97% | Expanding |
| PT | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.6p | 0.9p | 0.4 | 6.42% | Expanding |
| HU | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.6 | –0.4 | –4.90% | Contracting |
| EL | 1.0 | 0.8e | 0.8e | 0.8e | 0.6e | 1.0e | 0.8e | 0.7e | 0.6e | 0.4e | –0.6 | –10.23% | Contracting |
| EU-27 | 37.2 | 41.8 | 44.2 | 46.9 | 46.3 | 47.5 | 49.7 | 49.4 | 44.9 | 42.0 | 4.8 | 1.36% | Expanding |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which EU country showed the fastest garlic production growth and which declined most steeply from 2015 to 2024?
Portugal recorded the fastest CAGR at 27.79%, though this reflects a low starting point of 1.7 thousand tonnes. Among established producers, France led with 5.79% CAGR. Greece declined most steeply at -9.69% CAGR, with production falling from 10.0 to 4.0 thousand tonnes.
Which EU member state is the most reliable garlic supplier?
Italy is the most stable producer with a coefficient of variation of just 4.77% and a maximum drawdown of only -4.44%, far outperforming all other EU garlic producers in consistency.
Where is EU garlic farmland expanding and shrinking?
Garlic area is expanding fastest in Poland (+6.97% per year), France (+5.69%), and Portugal (+6.42%). It is contracting most sharply in Greece (-10.23% per year), Hungary (-4.90%), and Romania (-3.06%).
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.
