EU farmers harvest 62.2 million tonnes of vegetables and 24.3 million tonnes of fruit in 2024

According to Eurostat, 2024 turned out to be a productive year for vegetable growers: 62.2 million tonnes of fresh vegetables, including melons, were harvested in the European Union. This is 6% more than a year earlier. The main producers were Spain (14.8 million tonnes), Italy (13.9 million tonnes) and France (5.8 million tonnes). Together, these three countries accounted for more than half of the total crop.

The growth affected several key crops at once. Tomato production increased by 5% to 16.8 million tonnes. Italy remains the clear leader, growing 36% of EU tomatoes. Spain is in second place (27%), followed by Portugal (10%). The carrot crop grew by 6% to 4.7 million tonnes, with Germany (18%), France (14%) and Poland (12%) becoming the largest producers. Onion crops showed the most notable jump, up 11% to 7 million tonnes. Here, the Netherlands took the lead, accounting for a quarter of the total crop, while Spain (20%) and Germany (12%) took the next positions.

The fruit segment turned out to be less optimistic. The total fruit, berry and nut crop (excluding citrus, grapes and strawberries) totalled 24.3 million tonnes, 2% less than in 2023. The main suppliers were Italy (5.4 million tonnes), Spain (4.3 million tonnes) and Poland (4.1 million tonnes), accounting for more than half of European production.

Apples attract particular attention: the harvest in 2024 is 11.6 million tonnes, but this is 4% less than in the previous year. The main apple producing countries are Poland (29%), Italy (21%) and France (17%). In contrast, the pear harvest grew by 2% to 1.9 million tonnes, led by Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium. The peach market, on the other hand, has a near monopoly: Spain (37%), Italy (33%) and Greece (21%) together produce 91% of the crop. In 2024, the peach harvest will increase by 2%.

These data show that European agriculture remains resilient, although it faces challenges ranging from weather fluctuations to changes in demand. Vegetable yields are growing faster than fruit and this could change the structure of the agricultural market in the coming years, reinforcing the role of southern EU countries as the main suppliers of fresh produce.