Seed production in EU - 2021
In 2021, the areas to produce field seeds within the European Union remain stable (+0,6 %) to 2 095 420 ha (vegetable and floral seeds not included). This total takes into account the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union, whose areas increase significantly by 20% to 113 983 ha. France is the first seed producer country with 371 605 ha (+2%).
Italy comes in second place with 205 450 ha (+4%), while German areas show a slight decline of 1,3%, which brings them back to the level of 2019 (195 000 ha). The trend is generally upward for a large majority of countries. Significant decreases are nevertheless observed in Romania (-14%), Greece (-17%), Slovenia (-37%) and Cyprus (-14%) attributable in part to the lack of rain and summer fires. Note remarkable increases in Lithuania (+15%), Ireland (+10%), the Czech Republic (+7,3%) and Bulgaria (+7,5%).
France is a leader in seeds for cereals, corn, oilseeds, pulses, and fiber crops. Denmark dominates the forage grasses market, Italy that of small-seeded legumes and beets, the Netherlands that of seed potatoes.
Cereals are well ahead of the species produced with a total of 973 120 ha (-3%). Common wheat, down 6%, represents 42% of cereal areas with 439 810 ha. Barley declines 5% to 250 045 ha and durum wheat, which increased by 11% to 100 600 ha. All species combined, France is first in cereals with 126 205 ha. It regains its leadership in common wheat with 68 340 ha because Romanian areas fall by 24% to return to their 2019 level (63 340 ha). Spain dominates the barley market with 49 850 ha (-0,3%) and Italy, that of durum wheat, the areas of which increased significantly for the second consecutive year (+11%) to reach 60 950 ha. Oat areas fell by 2,5% to 58 130 ha, the result of sharp declines in Finland (-15%; 8 050 ha), Poland (-14%; 5 304 ha), Denmark (-11%; 3 580 ha) and Baltic countries (-20%), partly offset by notable increases in Germany (+20% ; 5 290 ha), Czech Republic (+25% ; 3 755 ha) and France (+34% ; 3 115 ha).
In maize, areas continue to show sustained growth (+9%) to reach 190 270 ha. The increase can be seen in almost all countries except for Germany and Slovenia. French areas gain 7% at 88 375 ha, i.e. 46% of total areas in the EU. Its main competitors, Romania and Hungary, each record an increase of 11% to 34 626 ha for the first one and 30 803 ha for the second one. Poland shows remarkable growth of 32% to reach 4 290 ha.
Oilseed plant areas remained stable at 113 055 ha. This situation is mainly due to rapeseed, down 10,5% to 21 440 ha, while sunflower areas remained stable at 39 840 ha. The trend for the rapeseed is mainly driven by Spain, where areas fell by 43% to 3 814 ha. France, the leading producer, lost 2,4% to 10 490 ha. Conversely, German and Hungarian areas are on the rise, respectively +14% and +7%. In sunflower, the stability results from an 11% drop in Spain (10 205 ha) offset by significant increases in Romania (+5,6% ; 5 860 ha), Hungary (+9,7%, 2 484 ha) and in Italy (+31,5% ; 2 340 ha). French areas increased by 3% to 16 940 ha. Soybean areas remained stable at 43 700 ha under the effect of sustained declines in Romania (-14%), Hungary (-7,6%) and Italy (-6,7%), weighted by significant increases in Croatia (+14% ; 6 193 ha), Slovakia (+26% ; 3 200 ha), Czech Republic (+28% ; 1 923 ha) and Germany (+24% ; 1 420 ha). Italy remains the leader for soybean seed production with 10 414 ha, ahead of Croatia (6 193 ha ; +14%) and France, whose areas lost 2% to 5 240 ha.
Forage areas increased by 7% to 545 920 ha and represent 26% of European seed production areas. Denmark is the leader in this market with 103 546 ha (+5%). Poland comes in second place, driven by sustained growth of 12,5% to 78 220 ha ahead of Italy (65 340 ha ; +1%). Denmark dominates the fodder grasses market with 96 825 ha (+5%), Italy that of small-grained legumes (53 756 ha ; +1%), including the alfalfa market which represents nearly 50% of EU area with 78 050 ha. Finally, Poland is the leader in the production of crucifer seeds with growth that remains high (+8,4% ; 14 440 ha). It should be noted that the Italian areas doubled to 3 413 ha. Spain remains the main producer for large-grained legumes seeds (mainly vetches) whose areas within the EU record a rebound of 18% to 10 920 ha.
In potatoes seeds, areas remain stable at 108 500 ha. The Netherlands, world leaders, cover 40 830 ha (+0,2%). France comes in second place with 23 710 ha (+1%), ahead of Germany (18 455 ha ; -2%) and Poland, whose area decrease by 8% to 6 890 ha.
In protein crops, areas increase by 4,5% to 102 835 ha. Strong increases are observed in a large majority of countries except for Spain (-17%), Italy (-20%) and Romania (-15%). France, whose areas increase by 13%, become the leader for these species, followed closely by Germany (16 260 ha ; +10%). Next come Poland (11 180 ha ; +4%) and the Czech Republic (10 815 ha ; +9%). Peas (fodder and protein crops), up 5%, represent 61 870 ha and field and broad beans total 28 710 ha, a decline of 2%. Lupine areas continue to follow a sustained growth rate (+22%) to reach 12 250 ha.
In fiber flax, areas fell by 23% to 26 080 ha, a consequence of the production of flax fibers in 2020 which could not be exported to China due to the covid-19 pandemic. EU Producing countries have been heavily affected and as a result, seed production in 2021 has dropped. France, the leader in this market sees areas fall by 24,5% to 21 500 ha, Belgium loses 14% to 3 390 ha and the Netherlands, 23% to 1 196 ha. Conversely, oleaginous flax has met with a certain enthusiasm and shows strong growth of 34% to reach 6 664 ha. The trend is upward in all countries. Most of them see their area double. In particular, the Czech Republic (1 294 ha) and Slovakia (370 ha). France, the leading producer in EU, record a jump of 51% to 2 070 ha.
In sugar and fodder beets, areas continue to grow to reach 12 575 ha, an increase of 10% driven both Italy, whose areas increase by 9% to 5 976 ha, and by France, whose areas are on the rise again (+8%) for a total of 5 920 ha. Sugar beets represent 11 945 ha (+9,3%) and fodder beets 630 ha. Those record a remarkable growth of 21%.
Summary note made by SEMAE (FR)
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