EU Market Share: Who Dominates Production?
Over the five harvest years from 2021 to 2025, the EU-27 recorded total pear production of 9.61 million tonnes (1.92 Mt/yr). Italy holds the largest share at 19.2 %, followed closely by Belgium and the Netherlands. Turkey, a candidate country, produced an additional 2.25 million tonnes (449.4 thousand t/yr) over the same period but is not included in the EU total.
The top three producers — Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands — together account for 55.4 % of total EU pear production. The Mediterranean states of Spain, Portugal, France, and Greece add another 32.1 %, concentrating nearly 87.5 % of all EU pear output in just seven member states.
| Member State | Total (1 000 t) | Annual Avg (1 000 t/yr) | % of EU Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 1,843.22 | 368.64 | 19.2 % |
| Belgium | 1,744.15 | 348.83 | 18.2 % |
| Netherlands | 1,726.00 | 345.20 | 18.0 % |
| Spain | 1,336.14 | 267.23 | 13.9 % |
| Portugal | 726.43 | 145.29 | 7.6 % |
| France | 648.89 | 129.78 | 6.8 % |
| Poland | 381.10 | 76.22 | 4.0 % |
| Greece | 369.48 | 73.90 | 3.8 % |
| Romania | 213.67 | 42.73 | 2.2 % |
| Austria | 208.03 | 41.61 | 2.2 % |
| Germany | 192.52 | 38.50 | 2.0 % |
| Others | 418.24 | 83.65 | 4.4 % |
Source: Eurostat apro_cpsh1, 2021–2025
Agricultural Efficiency: Yield per Hectare
The Eurostat apro_cpsh1 dataset does not publish official yield figures (YLD_HUMD_EU_T_HA) for pears as a permanent fruit crop. However, computed yields derived from harvested production divided by area (HPRD_HUMD_EU_THS_T / AR_THS_HA) reveal stark efficiency differences. In 2025, Belgium achieved 36.2 t/ha and the Netherlands 35.9 t/ha — the highest in the EU. France reached 25.4 t/ha, while Italy (18.3 t/ha), Spain (16.6 t/ha), and Portugal (12.2 t/ha) recorded lower computed yields.
Belgium and the Netherlands achieve their high yields through intensive orchard systems, producing roughly twice as much per hectare as the Mediterranean producers despite having a smaller total pear-growing area.
| Member State | Production 2025 (1 000 t) | Area 2025 (1 000 ha) | Yield 2025 (t/ha) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 392.52 | 10.83 | 36.2 |
| Netherlands | 358.00 | 9.96 | 35.9 |
| France | 157.13 | 6.18 | 25.4 |
| Italy | 358.31 | 19.55 | 18.3 |
| Spain | 261.50 | 15.78 | 16.6 |
| Portugal | 125.22p | 10.23p | 12.2 |
Source: Eurostat apro_cpsh1, 2021–2025
Regional and Climatic Divides Across Europe
Pear production is heavily concentrated in two broad geographic zones. Southern Europe (Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Greece) accounts for 51.3 % of the EU total, while Western Europe (Belgium, Netherlands, Germany) contributes 38.1 %. Eastern and Nordic states together represent approximately 10.6 % of output.
The Southern region alone produced more than half of all EU pears, driven by Italy's dominant output and the significant contributions of Spain, Portugal, France, and Greece. Western Europe — despite a cool maritime climate — ranks second due to the high-yielding, intensively managed orchards of Belgium and the Netherlands.
| Region | Member States | Total (1 000 t) | Annual Avg (1 000 t/yr) | Share of EU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern | IT, ES, PT, FR, EL | 4,924.16 | 984.83 | 51.3 % |
| Western | BE, NL, DE | 3,662.67 | 732.53 | 38.1 % |
| Eastern | PL, RO, HU, CZ, BG, SK, AT, SI, HR | 963.70 | 192.74 | 10.0 % |
| Nordic | DK, SE, FI, LT, LV | 54.07 | 10.81 | 0.6 % |
Source: Eurostat apro_cpsh1, 2021–2025
10-Year Production Trajectory: Rising Stars & Fading Producers
Across the EU-27, total pear production fell from 2.32 million tonnes in 2016 to 1.97 million tonnes in 2025 — a net loss of about 351 thousand tonnes (-15.2%, equivalent to a -1.81% CAGR). The decade high came in 2018 at 2.59 million tonnes, and the decade low in 2023 at 1.82 million tonnes, underscoring a broadly contracting bloc-wide harvest.
Italy, the largest cumulative producer of the decade, was also its most dramatic casualty. Output slid from 701.9 thousand tonnes in 2016 to just 358.3 thousand tonnes in 2025 (a -7.2% CAGR, -343.6 thousand tonnes net, -49.0%), swinging between a 2017 peak of 772.6 thousand tonnes and a 2023 floor of 255.7 thousand tonnes. That collapse cost Italy its perennial top ranking: by 2025 both Belgium and the Netherlands had drawn level with or ahead of it.
Belgium was the clearest rising producer, classified as Ascending (a 2.24% CAGR, +71.0 thousand tonnes net, +22.1%), and finished 2025 at 392.5 thousand tonnes — the single highest national output that year. France also rose (a 2.19% CAGR, +27.9 thousand tonnes net, +21.6%), despite a sharp 2021 trough of 69.1 thousand tonnes and a 2020 value carrying a break-in-series flag. Greece rounded out the risers (a 1.67% CAGR, +10.6 thousand tonnes net), though all its figures are estimated.
The Netherlands held broadly flat around 360 thousand tonnes (a -0.48% CAGR, Stable), and Poland was similarly steady (a -0.38% CAGR, Stable). Among the fallers, Spain was the most notable major decliner (a -3.16% CAGR, -87.8 thousand tonnes net, -25.1%), while Portugal drifted lower (a -1.06% CAGR, -12.6 thousand tonnes net); Portugal's 2025 value is provisional, as flagged below.
All values in 1 000 t. b = break in series, e = estimated, p = provisional.
| Country | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | CAGR | Net Change (1 000 t) | Trajectory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 701.9 | 772.6 | 752.6 | 429.3 | 619.5 | 273.4 | 519.2 | 255.7 | 436.6 | 358.3 | -7.2% | -343.6 | Declining |
| Netherlands | 373.8 | 330.0 | 402.2 | 373.0 | 400.0 | 340.0 | 351.0 | 354.0 | 323.0 | 358.0 | -0.48% | -15.8 | Stable |
| Belgium | 321.6 | 310.2 | 368.8 | 332.4 | 392.6 | 355.7 | 345.9 | 381.3 | 268.8 | 392.5 | +2.24% | +71.0 | Ascending |
| Spain | 349.2 | 361.0 | 332.3 | 330.7 | 323.7 | 316.3 | 248.3 | 288.0 | 222.0 | 261.5 | -3.16% | -87.8 | Declining |
| Portugal | 137.8 | 202.3 | 161.3 | 198.5 | 131.0 | 225.4 | 132.3 | 118.3 | 125.2 | 125.2p | -1.06% | -12.6 | Declining |
| France | 129.3 | 130.2 | 129.5 | 119.8 | 150.7b | 69.1 | 142.6 | 128.2 | 151.9 | 157.1 | +2.19% | +27.9 | Ascending |
| Greece | 66.2e | 73.2e | 77.0e | 75.8e | 81.3e | 77.5e | 78.7e | 62.9e | 73.6e | 76.8e | +1.67% | +10.6 | Ascending |
| Poland | 81.5 | 55.1 | 90.9 | 67.6 | 61.0 | 68.6 | 80.6 | 79.0 | 74.2 | 78.7 | -0.38% | -2.8 | Stable |
| EU-27 | 2318.7 | 2394.6 | 2586.9 | 2098.0 | 2368.1 | 1904.7 | 2062.1 | 1821.6 | 1852.1 | 1967.3 | -1.81% | -351.4 | Declining |
Source: Eurostat apro_cpsh1, 2021–2025
Supply Stability Scorecard: Reliability Rankings
Volume leadership and supply reliability are rarely held by the same country. Ranking the top eight producers by coefficient of variation (CV) — where a lower CV means steadier year-to-year output — reveals that the biggest cumulative producer is in fact the least dependable.
The Netherlands is the single most stable supplier of the decade (CV 7.1%, max single-year drawdown of just -15.0%), pairing the second-largest cumulative volume with top-tier reliability. Greece follows on reliability (CV 7.3%, drawdown -20.2%), though its modest output makes it a supplementary source. Belgium completes the dependable tier (CV 10.9%), combining rising volume with moderate stability.
The mid-range includes Poland (CV 13.7%), Spain (CV 14.5%), and France (CV 18.1%). France's numbers hide the deepest single-year shock among the reliable-volume producers — a -54.2% drawdown driven by its 2021 collapse. At the volatile end sit Portugal (CV 23.7%, drawdown -41.3%) and Italy (CV 35.6%, drawdown -55.9%). Italy's extreme CV reflects its structural production decline, making the former market leader the riskiest single-source bet in the cohort.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 360.5 | 7.1% | -15.0% | 6 | 1 |
| Greece | 74.3 | 7.3% | -20.2% | 4 | 2 |
| Belgium | 347.0 | 10.9% | -29.5% | 5 | 3 |
| Poland | 73.7 | 13.7% | -32.3% | 4 | 4 |
| Spain | 303.3 | 14.5% | -22.9% | 4 | 5 |
| France | 130.8 | 18.1% | -54.2% | 6 | 6 |
| Portugal | 155.7 | 23.7% | -41.3% | 6 | 7 |
| Italy | 511.9 | 35.6% | -55.9% | 5 | 8 |
Source: Eurostat apro_cpsh1, 2021–2025
Land Allocation Shift: 10-Year Cropland Transformation
The land dedicated to pears tells a story of steady contraction. EU-27 harvested pear area fell from 115.1 thousand hectares in 2016 to 94.3 thousand hectares in 2025 — a net loss of about 20.8 thousand hectares (-18.1%, a -2.19% CAGR). Because production fell slightly less than area over the same period, the implied EU-27 yield edged up from roughly 20.1 t/ha in 2016 to 20.9 t/ha in 2025, a modest efficiency gain against a shrinking orchard footprint.
Italy cut the most acreage in both absolute and relative terms, shedding 12.7 thousand hectares (-39.5%, a -5.42% annualized rate). Because Italian output fell even faster (-49.0%) than its area, the country's implied yield actually declined, compounding its production losses. Spain contracted next-most in absolute terms (-6.8 thousand hectares, -30.0%, -3.89%/yr), followed by Poland (-1.5 thousand hectares, -19.9%) and Portugal (-1.8 thousand hectares, -14.7%). Greece held its area essentially flat.
Only three of the top eight expanded their orchards. Belgium added 1.1 thousand hectares (+11.8%, +1.24%/yr) and France 0.9 thousand hectares (+16.6%, +1.72%/yr) — the same two countries that posted the strongest production CAGRs, indicating growth driven by both extensification and firm demand. The Netherlands added 0.6 thousand hectares (+6.0%) while keeping output flat, consistent with its highly stable, mature orchard base.
All values in 1 000 ha. b = break in series, e = estimated, p = provisional.
| Country | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Net Change (1 000 ha) | Growth Rate | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 32.3 | 31.7 | 31.3 | 28.7 | 26.6 | 26.8 | 24.5 | 23.0 | 20.6 | 19.6 | -12.7 | -5.42% | Contracting |
| Netherlands | 9.4 | 9.7 | 10.0 | 10.1 | 10.0 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 9.9 | 10.0 | 10.0 | +0.6 | +0.65% | Expanding |
| Belgium | 9.7 | 10.0 | 10.2 | 10.4 | 10.7 | 10.4 | 10.6 | 10.6 | 10.7 | 10.8 | +1.1 | +1.24% | Expanding |
| Spain | 22.6 | 21.9 | 21.3 | 19.2 | 18.7 | 18.5 | 17.3 | 16.4 | 16.1 | 15.8 | -6.8 | -3.89% | Contracting |
| Portugal | 12.0 | 11.5 | 11.2 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 11.2 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 10.2 | 10.2p | -1.8 | -1.75% | Contracting |
| France | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.9b | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.2 | +0.9 | +1.72% | Expanding |
| Greece | 4.1e | 4.1e | 4.4e | 4.3e | 5.4e | 4.4e | 4.3e | 4.1e | 4.0e | 4.0e | -0.1 | -0.16% | Stable |
| Poland | 7.5 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 5.8 | 5.6 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.9 | 6.0 | -1.5 | -2.43% | Contracting |
| EU-27 | 115.1 | 113.8 | 113.5 | 109.3 | 106.8 | 105.4 | 101.3 | 98.5 | 95.8 | 94.3 | -20.8 | -2.19% | Contracting |
Source: Eurostat apro_cpsh1, 2021–2025
Frequently Asked Questions
Which EU country produces the most pears?
Italy is the largest pear producer in the European Union, accounting for 19.2 % of EU output with 1.84 million tonnes over 2021–2025 (368.6 thousand t/yr).
Which country has the highest pear yield per hectare?
Belgium leads with a computed yield of 36.2 t/ha in 2025, closely followed by the Netherlands at 35.9 t/ha — roughly double the yields observed in Mediterranean producers like Italy and Spain.
How much land does the EU dedicate to pear orchards?
The EU-27 devoted 495.4 thousand hectares to pear production over the 2021–2025 period, averaging 99.1 thousand hectares per year, with Italy alone accounting for nearly a quarter of the total area.
Which EU country increased pear production the most from 2016 to 2025?
Belgium grew fastest among the top eight, with a 2.24% compound annual growth rate and a net gain of 71.0 thousand tonnes (+22.1%), finishing 2025 as the largest single national producer. France posted a similar 2.19% CAGR. At the other extreme, Italy recorded the steepest decline with a -7.2% CAGR and a net loss of 343.6 thousand tonnes (-49.0%).
Which country is the most stable pear supplier in the EU?
The Netherlands is the most stable top producer, with the lowest coefficient of variation (7.1%) and a maximum single-year drop of only -15.0%. Greece ranked second (CV 7.3%), though its output volume is far smaller.
Is EU pear farmland expanding or shrinking?
EU-27 harvested pear orchard area contracted by about 20.8 thousand hectares (-18.1%) between 2016 and 2025. Italy cut the most, reducing its area by nearly 40%, while Belgium, France, and the Netherlands were the only major growers to expand.
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.
