The European Union’s agricultural output saw a slight decline of 1.5% in 2023, falling to 537.1 billion euros from 545.4 billion euros in 2022, according to the latest Eurostat data, with Greece being in the list of the countries experiencing the greatest decline. This drop marks the end of a steady upward trend that began in 2010.
The decrease in the nominal value of agricultural output reflects a 2.3% drop in production volume, partially offset by a modest 0.8% increase in the nominal prices of agricultural goods and services, Eurostat reports.
Despite the overall dip in production, ten EU countries managed to achieve higher production volumes in 2023 compared to the previous year. The biggest increases were seen in Hungary up by 26% and Slovakia by 12%. However, several countries experienced significant declines, with Greece leading the list down by 16%, followed by Estonia, Latvia, Spain, and Sweden.
The modest reduction in the overall value of the EU’s agricultural industry in 2023 indicates the significant contrasts among member states. Portugal and Hungary recorded the steepest increases in production value, up by 14.6 % and 11.1% respectively, while Latvia and Estonia faced sharp declines of around -20%.
A substantial portion (57.8%) of the EU’s total agricultural output value came from France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The next tier included the Netherlands, Poland, and Romania. Together, these seven countries accounted for 76.5% of the EU’s total agricultural output in 2023.
In terms of sectoral contribution, a little over half (51%) of the EU’s agricultural production value in 2023 came from crops, totaling 273.6 billion euros—a 6% decline compared to 2022. This category was dominated by vegetables, horticultural products, and cereals.
Meanwhile, nearly two-fifths of the total production value came from livestock and animal products, amounting to 214.3 billion euros, marking a 2% increase from the previous year. The bulk of this segment was driven by milk and pork production. The remaining 9.2% of the production value came from agricultural services and secondary activities.
