Market Trends of europe vegetable seed Industry
Roots and bulbs dominate the vegetable cultivation in Europe due to their high-income potential and strong domestic demand
- Europe had nearly 9 million hectares of land dedicated to vegetable cultivation in 2022, accounting for 5.4% of the region's total cultivation area. The largest vegetable-growing areas in Europe are located in France, Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey, which collectively accounted for 60.5% of the region's vegetable area cultivated in 2022.
- The roots and bulbs segment was the largest segment in terms of acreage in Europe, accounting for 46% of the total area under vegetable crops in 2022. Among roots and bulb crops, the area under onion increased because of high demand in France, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. The acreage of onions is expanding yearly due to several producers choosing to start growing onions because onion prices are estimated to remain high. This trend is estimated to drive the onion seed market. The area under cultivation of onion increased from 420 thousand ha in 2020 to 433.1 thousand ha in 2022. Potato is a major crop in the region, accounting for 39.8% of the vegetable area in 2022. The acreage of potatoes in Europe has been declining. For instance, in 2022, the area decreased by 9% from 4.9 million ha in 2017 due to a sharp decline from the major producing countries such as Poland and Romania.
- The area under tomato cultivation in Europe increased from 585.2 thousand ha in 2021 to 592.4 thousand ha in 2022 due to the increase in the price of fresh produce coupled with growing consumption and demand from the processing industry. For instance, the consumption of tomatoes in Europe increased from 6,500 metric tons in 2017 to 7,159 metric tons in 2022, and tomatoes for processing accounted for 11,000 metric tons in 2022, which increased by 7% from the previous year. Therefore, these factors are estimated to drive the growth of the seed market.
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There has been an increase in the use of hybrids with disease-resistant and high uniformity carrot and cauliflower traits
- The production of carrots and cauliflower & broccoli is becoming increasingly challenging due to climate change, diseases, and pest attacks. Therefore, the demand for seeds with traits such as disease resistance, abiotic stress tolerance, uniformity, and higher yield potential is driving the growth of the market.
- The growth of carrot and cauliflower plants is greatly influenced by abiotic stresses such as low nitrogen content, heat, flooding, drought, and salinity. These adverse conditions significantly decrease the yield of these crops. Consequently, there is a higher demand for seed varieties that possess tolerance to abiotic stresses in the region.
- In recent years, the adoption of hybrid seeds containing disease-resistant traits against powdery mildew, Alternaria spots, and bolting has significantly boosted yield. For instance, the yield of cauliflower and broccoli surged to 167,803 hg/ha in 2021 from 167,168 hg/ha in 2019. Similarly, carrot yield rose to 386,331 hg/ha from 367,359 during the same period.
- Quality traits such as desirable internal and external colors, long carrot roots, and high uniformity in cauliflower crowns and curds are widely valued for their aesthetic appeal to consumers. Because of these factors, key players in the region have developed a diverse portfolio suitable for specific climatic conditions of the countries. For instance, in the United Kingdom, Rijk Zwaan offers cauliflower varieties like Dexter RZ F1, Lavender RZ F1, and Stabilis RZ F1, all of which exhibit high uniformity characteristics.
- Furthermore, farmers are cultivating crops with additional traits such as extended shelf life, prolonged storage capabilities, tolerance to cracking, early to medium maturing varieties, and high dry matter content in the region.
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Understand The Key Trends Shaping This Market
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OTHER KEY INDUSTRY TRENDS COVERED IN THE REPORT
- Disease-resistant hybrids of cabbage and tomato seeds with wider adaptability are in higher demand in the region
- Hybrid breeding is the most popular technique employed in developing vegetable seeds
