Two-Supplier Dependence: the Kiwi Market Shares
The kiwi is Europe's two-country fruit. In 2024 the EU-27 harvested 918 280 tonnes (918.3 thousand tonnes) of kiwis — 463 910 tonnes from Italy (50.5%) and 342 330 tonnes from Greece (37.3%). Two countries supply 87.8% of the EU harvest; every other member state shares the remaining 12.2%.
The third place is a rounding error by comparison: France grew 50 760 tonnes (5.5%), Portugal 31 320 tonnes (3.4%) and Spain 29 640 tonnes (3.2%). Slovenia's entire kiwi industry accounts for 190 tonnes — 0.02% of the EU total.
The land tells the same two-country story: Italy farms 23 130 hectares of kiwi (49.2% of the EU's 46 990 hectares) and Greece 14 700 hectares (31.3%). Together they hold 80.5% of the EU's kiwi plantings.
All values in 1 000 t. Share of the EU-27 total (918.28 thousand tonnes) in 2024, dataset apro_cpsh1.
| Country | 2024 production (1 000 t) | Share of EU | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 463.9 | 50.5% | 1 |
| Greece | 342.3 | 37.3% | 2 |
| France | 50.8 | 5.5% | 3 |
| Portugal | 31.3 | 3.4% | 4 |
| Spain | 29.6 | 3.2% | 5 |
Why These Two: What the Area Data Shows
The concentration is rooted in hectares, not habit. Italy and Greece together hold 37 830 kiwi hectares — 80.5% of the EU total — and the two national orchard bases have moved in opposite directions for a decade.
Greece expanded aggressively: kiwi area grew 72.1%, from 8 540 to 14 700 hectares, nearly tracking its 71.6% production growth. Italy stayed land-flat at about 23 000 hectares (23 460 in 2015, 23 130 in 2024), meaning its production decline came from output per hectare, not from pulling out trees.
The implied 2024 yields are close and high: about 23.3 tonnes per hectare in Greece and 20.1 in Italy — against 12.6 in France and 8.7 in Portugal. The two-country dominance is, in the data, an orchard-density story.
Kiwi area, 2015 vs 2024, and implied yield (production ÷ area) in 2024.
| Country | Area 2015 (1 000 ha) | Area 2024 (1 000 ha) | Area change | Implied yield 2024 (t/ha) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 23.5 | 23.1 | -1.4% | 20.1 |
| Greece | 8.5 | 14.7 | +72.1% | 23.3 |
| France | 3.8 | 4.0 | +6.0% | 12.6 |
| Portugal | 2.3 | 3.6 | +55.8% | 8.7 |
Shock Years: the Swings Inside the Two-Thirds
Beneath the calm EU total (which varied with a CV of just 4.9% over 2015-2024), the two suppliers swung hard in opposite directions. Italy's harvest fell every phase of the decade: from a 578 870-tonne starting point in 2015 to a decade low of 391 100 tonnes in 2023 — 32.4% below its own peak — before recovering to 463 910 tonnes in 2024. Net: -19.9% over the window, about -2.4% a year.
Greece moved the other way: from 199 470 tonnes in 2015 to a record 342 330 tonnes in 2024, net +71.6%, roughly +6.2% a year. The Greek climb was steady enough that every down-year in Italy was a smaller relative shock to the EU total.
Volatility grades reflect the divergence: Italy's CV is 12.0% and Greece's 15.3% — moderately stable individually — while Portugal's 25.4% makes it the swing supplier of the minor trio (France 12.4%, Spain 12.5% by comparison).
Kiwi production trends, 2015-2024. CV = coefficient of variation of annual production.
| Series | 2015 (1 000 t) | Decade low | 2024 (1 000 t) | Net change | CV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 578.9 | 391.1 (2023) | 463.9 | -19.9% | 12.0% |
| Greece | 199.5 | 199.5 (2015) | 342.3 | +71.6% | 15.3% |
| EU-27 | 896.1 | — | 918.3 | +2.5% | 4.9% |
The Shelf Impact: What Concentration Means for Winter Fruit
For shoppers, kiwis are a winter fruit — and 87.8% of the winter kiwi comes through two southern supply lines. The EU total has been dependable (+2.5% over the decade, CV 4.9%), but that steadiness is a statistical netting of two large, offsetting national swings.
The practical reading: an Italian bad year — and 2023 showed one, at 32.4% below its peak — is partly absorbed by Greek strength in the same window, but only as long as Greece keeps growing. Greece supplied 37.3% of the 2024 harvest from 31.3% of the area, the higher-yielding of the two.
Buyers of kiwi puree, circuits and fresh boxes should therefore track both countries' season estimates together: the EU aggregate will look stable even when the two components are not.
Supply-risk summary for EU kiwis, dataset apro_cpsh1, window 2015-2024.
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Top-2 share of EU output, 2024 | 87.8% |
| Top-2 share of EU area, 2024 | 80.5% |
| EU production net change 2015-2024 | +2.5% |
| EU-27 CV 2015-2024 | 4.9% |
| Italy's worst year vs its peak | -32.4% (2023) |
| Greece net change 2015-2024 | +71.6% |
Diversification Watch: any Rising Producers?
The minor growers are growing — from small bases. Portugal expanded kiwi area 55.8% (2 310 to 3 600 hectares) and lifted output to 31 320 tonnes in 2024; France inched up 6.0% in area to 4 040 hectares with 50 760 tonnes. Spain is the flatliner: 1 490 hectares and 29 640 tonnes, essentially unchanged in land since 2015.
Scale keeps the perspective honest: even if every non-top-2 country doubled output overnight, the EU-27 would still be more than two-thirds Italian and Greek. The verified decade trend shows concentration decreasing only at the margins — Greece's rise offset Italy's fall, leaving the two-country structure fully intact.
The signal to watch is area: Greek kiwi plantings have added 6 160 hectares in a decade, and Portugal 1 290. When a third country adds area at that pace, the two-supplier story starts to change — no earlier.
The diversification bench: area change, 2024 output and production CV for the growers outside the top two.
| Country | Area change 2015-2024 (1 000 ha) | 2024 output (1 000 t) | CV 2015-2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greece | +6.2 | 342.3 | 15.3% |
| Portugal | +1.3 | 31.3 | 25.4% |
| France | +0.2 | 50.8 | 12.4% |
| Spain | 0.0 | 29.6 | 12.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which EU countries grow the most kiwis?
Italy and Greece, well ahead of everyone: Italy grew 463 910 tonnes in 2024 (50.5% of EU output) and Greece 342 330 tonnes (37.3%). France is a distant third with 50 760 tonnes (5.5%).
How concentrated is EU kiwi production?
Very: the top two countries supplied 87.8% of the EU-27's 918 280-tonne harvest in 2024, and together hold 80.5% of the EU's kiwi hectares.
Are EU kiwi harvests volatile?
The EU total is not (CV 4.9% over 2015-2024), but that hides offsetting national swings: Italy fell 32.4% below its peak in 2023 while Greece climbed to a record. Italy's CV is 12.0%, Greece's 15.3%.
Is Italian kiwi production declining?
Over this window, yes: -19.9% net between 2015 (578 870 tonnes) and 2024 (463 910 tonnes), about -2.4% a year — while Greece grew 71.6% over the same years.
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.
