939.2 Thousand Tonnes of EU Hemp Production (2021–2025): A Complete Data Breakdown
France dominates EU hemp production with 645.6 thousand tonnes (68.7% of the EU total), followed by the Netherlands at 88.9 thousand tonnes (9.5%), while Italy leads in yield efficiency at 8.30 t/ha.
EU Market Share: Who Dominates Hemp Production?
Over the 2021–2025 period, the European Union produced a total of 939.21 thousand tonnes of hemp in EU standard humidity, an annual average of 187.84 thousand t/yr.
France is the overwhelming leader, accounting for 645.57 thousand tonnes (129.11 thousand t/yr) over the five years, a share of 68.7% of the EU total. The Netherlands, the second-largest producer, contributed 88.89 thousand tonnes (17.78 thousand t/yr), or 9.5%. The top four producing member states — France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Poland — collectively represent 85.2% of all EU hemp production.
| Member State | Total (1 000 t) | Annual Avg (1 000 t/yr) | % of EU Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 645.57 | 129.11 | 68.7 |
| Netherlands | 88.89 | 17.78 | 9.5 |
| Germany | 33.00 | 6.60 | 3.5 |
| Poland | 32.61 | 6.52 | 3.5 |
| Austria | 23.39 | 4.68 | 2.5 |
| Italy | 18.51 | 3.70 | 2.0 |
| Lithuania | 11.39 | 2.28 | 1.2 |
| Romania | 8.52 | 1.70 | 0.9 |
| Spain | 2.25 | 0.45 | 0.2 |
| EU Total | 939.21 | 187.84 | 100.0 |
Agricultural Efficiency: Yield per Hectare
While France commands the largest production volume, it does not achieve the highest yield per hectare. Italy leads the EU in hemp yield efficiency with a 5-year average of 8.30 t/ha, followed by the Netherlands at 7.50 t/ha and France at 6.34 t/ha. Germany's estimated 2025 yield of 8.05 t/ha, while high, is based on a single year of reported data.
Italy's superior yield reflects a more intensive cultivation approach, producing 8.26 t/ha by dividing its 18.51 thousand tonnes of production across just 2.24 thousand hectares — the smallest planted area among the top producers. By contrast, France dedicates 102.89 thousand hectares to hemp, achieving a production-to-area ratio of 6.27 t/ha. Note that the 2025 yield values for Poland and Lithuania are estimated (flag "e"), and the 2025 value for Spain is provisional (flag "p"), so their long-term averages may be revised in future Eurostat transmissions.
| Member State | Avg Yield (t/ha) |
|---|---|
| Italy | 8.30 |
| Netherlands | 7.50 |
| France | 6.34 |
| Austria | 4.21 |
| Poland | 4.19 |
| Romania | 3.46 |
| Spain | 3.05 |
| Lithuania | 2.68 |
Regional and Climatic Divides Across Europe
Hemp cultivation in the EU is heavily concentrated in Western Europe, which accounts for over 81% of total production. France, the Netherlands, and Germany form the core of this Western bloc, with France alone contributing the vast majority.
Eastern European producers, led by Poland, contribute a smaller but meaningful share. Southern Europe, despite Italy's high yields, has a limited total volume due to the crop's smaller planted area in Mediterranean climates.
| Region | Member States | Total (1 000 t) | Annual Avg (1 000 t/yr) | Share of EU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Europe | FR, NL, DE | 767.46 | 153.49 | 81.7% |
| Eastern Europe | PL, LT, RO | 52.52 | 10.50 | 5.6% |
| Central Europe | AT | 23.39 | 4.68 | 2.5% |
| Southern Europe | IT, ES | 20.76 | 4.15 | 2.2% |
Temporal Trends: Market Stability vs. Volatility
The five-year period reveals contrasting trajectories among the leading producers. France, the dominant producer, showed moderate fluctuations — from 141.5 thousand tonnes in 2021, down to 121.7 in 2022, recovering to 135.5 in 2024, then 124.0 in 2025. France's production range of 121.7 to 141.5 thousand tonnes gives it a coefficient of variation of roughly 7% across the five years, making it the most stable large-volume producer in the EU.
The Netherlands experienced a marked expansion, with production nearly doubling from 13.3 thousand tonnes in 2021 to 23.3 thousand tonnes in 2025, with a sharp increase in 2024 (24.6 thousand tonnes). Dutch output grew by 75% between 2021 and 2025, driven by a step-change in 2024.
Poland and Austria both exhibited pronounced declines. Polish hemp production dropped from 15.1 thousand tonnes in 2021 to an estimated 2.9 thousand tonnes in 2025e — an 81% decrease. Austrian production fell from 10.7 thousand tonnes in 2021 to 2.7 thousand tonnes in 2025, a 75% reduction over the period. Lithuania bucked the trend with steady growth from 1.8 to 3.0 thousand tonnes. The diverging paths of these mid-tier producers highlight the structural reallocation occurring within the EU hemp sector.
Italy maintained relatively consistent output between 2.4 and 4.7 thousand tonnes, showing moderate stability. Note that German data was only available from 2025 (estimated, flag "e"), and Spanish 2025 data is provisional (flag "p").
| Year | EU Total | France | Netherlands | Poland | Austria | Italy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 186.52 | 141.46 | 13.28 | 15.08 | 10.70 | 4.71 |
| 2022 | 168.37 | 121.72 | 14.10 | 6.36 | 5.20 | 3.95 |
| 2023 | 167.34 | 122.82 | 13.63 | 4.69 | 2.65 | 2.35 |
| 2024 | 193.13 | 135.53 | 24.57 | 3.63 | 2.14 | 3.11 |
| 2025 | 196.50 | 124.04 | 23.31 | 2.85e | 2.70 | 4.39 |
Land Allocation: How Countries Prioritize Farmland
The EU dedicated a total of 166.46 thousand hectares (33.29 thousand ha/yr) to hemp over the 2021–2025 period. France accounted for 102.89 thousand hectares (61.8%), or 20.58 thousand ha/yr — more than all other EU member states combined.
The EU's total hemp area of 166.46 thousand hectares over five years highlights that hemp remains a relatively niche crop in European agriculture. France's outsized land allocation underscores its role as the EU's primary hemp cultivation hub.
| Member State | Area (1 000 ha) | Annual Avg (1 000 ha/yr) | % of EU Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 102.89 | 20.58 | 61.8 |
| Germany | 22.00 | 4.40 | 13.2 |
| Netherlands | 11.56 | 2.31 | 6.9 |
| Poland | 7.12 | 1.42 | 4.3 |
| Austria | 5.18 | 1.04 | 3.1 |
| Lithuania | 4.26 | 0.85 | 2.6 |
| Romania | 2.56 | 0.51 | 1.5 |
| Italy | 2.24 | 0.45 | 1.3 |
| EU Total | 166.46 | 33.29 | 100.0 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which EU country produces the most hemp?
France is by far the largest hemp producer in the European Union, accounting for 68.7% of total EU output with 645.6 thousand tonnes over the 2021–2025 period.
Which EU country has the highest hemp yield?
Italy achieves the highest hemp yield in the EU at 8.30 tonnes per hectare on average, despite having the smallest cultivated area among the top producing member states.
How has EU hemp production changed between 2021 and 2025?
EU hemp production remained broadly stable at around 187.8 thousand tonnes per year, but major shifts occurred among individual producers — French production fluctuated moderately, the Netherlands expanded significantly, while Poland and Austria saw sharp declines.
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.