357 Thousand Tonnes of Shallots: European Shallot Production 2020–2024 — A Complete Data Breakdown
France dominates the European shallot market, accounting for 307.2 thousand tonnes or 85.9% of total EU shallot production over the 2020–2024 period, with an annual average of 61.4 thousand tonnes. Production across the bloc shows moderate year-to-year variation, with France maintaining a commanding lead while a handful of other countries contribute smaller but meaningful volumes.
EU Market Share: Who Dominates Production?
France supplies nearly 86% of total EU shallot volume. Italy ranks second with 17.9 thousand tonnes (5.0%), followed by Albania with 12.2 thousand tonnes (3.4%), Poland with 5.7 thousand tonnes (1.6%), and Portugal with 5.3 thousand tonnes (1.5%).
France's 307.2 thousand tonnes (61.4 thousand t/yr) exceeds all other producers combined. Italy's 17.9 thousand tonnes (3.6 thousand t/yr) places it a distant second.
| Member State | Total (1 000 t) | Annual Avg (1 000 t/yr) | % of EU Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 307.16 | 61.43 | 85.9 |
| Italy | 17.85 | 3.57 | 5.0 |
| Albania | 12.19 | 2.44 | 3.4 |
| Poland | 5.70 | 1.14 | 1.6 |
| Portugal | 5.26 | 1.05 | 1.5 |
| Switzerland | 4.59 | 0.92 | 1.3 |
| Norway | 2.61 | 0.52 | 0.7 |
| Slovenia | 1.51 | 0.30 | 0.4 |
| Spain | 0.33 | 0.07 | 0.1 |
| Luxembourg | 0.19 | 0.04 | 0.05 |
Agricultural Efficiency: Yield per Hectare
Yield data (t/ha) for shallots is not available in the Eurostat apro_cpsh1 dataset at the EU standard humidity level. Land allocation provides a proxy for production intensity.
France's per-hectare output ratio of 16.3 tonnes of shallots per hectare of land over the five-year period is the highest among reporting countries.
| Member State | Area (1 000 ha) | Annual Avg (1 000 ha/yr) | Production (1 000 t) |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 18.85 | 3.77 | 307.16 |
| Albania | 1.04 | 0.21 | 12.19 |
| Italy | 0.77 | 0.15 | 17.85 |
| Poland | 0.40 | 0.08 | 5.70 |
| Norway | 0.24 | 0.05 | 2.61 |
| Switzerland | 0.20 | 0.04 | 4.59 |
| Slovenia | 0.14 | 0.03 | 1.51 |
| Portugal | 0.11 | 0.02 | 5.26 |
| Luxembourg | 0.03 | 0.01 | 0.19 |
| Spain | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.33 |
Regional and Climatic Divides Across Europe
Shallot production in Europe is heavily concentrated in Western Europe, driven almost entirely by France. Smaller production zones exist in Southern Europe and the Balkans, while Eastern and Northern Europe contribute minimal volumes.
Western Europe accounts for 86.0% of shallot production. Southern Europe and the Balkans contribute 10.4%, with Italy and Albania as the main producers. Poland is the sole Eastern European producer at 1.6%, while Switzerland and Norway add a combined 2.0%.
| Region | Member States | Total (1 000 t) | Annual Avg (1 000 t/yr) | Share of EU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Europe | France, Luxembourg | 307.35 | 61.47 | 86.0 |
| Southern Europe & Balkans | Italy, Albania, Portugal, Spain, Slovenia | 37.14 | 7.43 | 10.4 |
| Eastern Europe | Poland | 5.70 | 1.14 | 1.6 |
| Other Europe | Switzerland, Norway | 7.20 | 1.44 | 2.0 |
Temporal Trends: Market Stability vs. Volatility
Over the 2020–2024 period, production levels across the major growers showed distinct patterns.
France ranged between 56.3 thousand tonnes (2023) and 69.2 thousand tonnes (2022), with a break in series flagged in 2020 (58.1, flag "b"). Italy surged from zero in 2020 to 4.1 thousand tonnes in 2021, stabilising between 4.2 and 5.2 through 2024. Albania grew steadily from 2.1 (2020) to 2.7 (2023), then dipped to 2.4 (2024). Poland swung from 0.9 (2020) to 0.5 (2021), then rose to 1.6 (2023) before settling at 1.4 (2024). Portugal recorded zero in three of five years, spiking to 4.7 in 2024 (provisional, "p"). Norway and Switzerland maintained stable modest outputs.
| Country | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Total | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 58.13b | 66.76 | 69.21 | 56.30 | 56.76 | 307.16 | Peak in 2022, decline since |
| Italy | 0.00 | 4.10 | 5.22 | 4.30 | 4.23 | 17.85 | Surge from 2021, stable since |
| Albania | 2.10 | 2.37 | 2.59 | 2.70 | 2.43 | 12.19 | Steady growth to 2023 |
| Poland | 0.90 | 0.50 | 1.30 | 1.60 | 1.40 | 5.70 | Volatile, rising trend |
| Portugal | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.53 | 0.00p | 4.73p | 5.26 | Erratic, 2024 spike |
Land Allocation: How Countries Prioritize Farmland
Over the five-year window, a total of 21.79 thousand hectares were dedicated to shallot cultivation across reporting European countries. France accounted for the vast majority of this area.
France's 18.85 thousand hectares (3.77 thousand ha/yr) represents 86.5% of all European shallot growing area. Albania's 1.04 thousand hectares (0.21 thousand ha/yr) places it second in land allocation despite ranking third in production volume, indicating lower yield intensity compared to France.
| Member State | Area (1 000 ha) | Annual Avg (1 000 ha/yr) | % of EU Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 18.85 | 3.77 | 86.5 |
| Albania | 1.04 | 0.21 | 4.8 |
| Italy | 0.77 | 0.15 | 3.5 |
| Poland | 0.40 | 0.08 | 1.8 |
| Norway | 0.24 | 0.05 | 1.1 |
| Switzerland | 0.20 | 0.04 | 0.9 |
| Slovenia | 0.14 | 0.03 | 0.6 |
| Portugal | 0.11 | 0.02 | 0.5 |
| Luxembourg | 0.03 | 0.01 | 0.1 |
| Spain | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.05 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which European country produces the most shallots?
France is by far the largest shallot producer in Europe, contributing 307.2 thousand tonnes over 2020–2024, or 85.9% of total European production.
How much land is used for shallot cultivation in Europe?
Approximately 21.79 thousand hectares were dedicated to shallot cultivation across Europe between 2020 and 2024, with France alone accounting for 18.85 thousand hectares (86.5%).
Has European shallot production been growing or declining?
European shallot production fluctuated between 63.6 thousand tonnes (2020) and 79.5 thousand tonnes (2022) over the five-year period, with no clear long-term trend. France showed a slight decline from its 2022 peak, while Albania and Poland recorded gradual increases.
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.