EU agriculture output: 19% value rise fuelled by price surge

In 2022, agricultural output in the EU was valued at €537.5 billion (bn) in basic prices, equivalent to an increase of 19% compared with 2021. This represented a new peak and continued the upward trend that started in 2010.

The change in nominal value largely reflected the sharp rise in the nominal price for agricultural goods and services as a whole (an estimated +22.8%), with the volume of the output declining moderately from the 2021 level (an estimated 3.1% lower).

This information comes from the economic accounts for agriculture (EAA) for 2022 published by Eurostat today. This news item presents a handful of findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article.

Three quarters of the value of the EU’s agricultural output in 2022 came from seven EU countries: France (€97.1 bn, equivalent to 18% of the EU total), Germany (€76.2 bn, 14%), Italy (€71.5 bn, 13%), Spain (€63.0 bn, 12%), Poland (€39.5 bn, 7%), the Netherlands (€36.1 bn, 7%), and Romania (€22.2 bn, 4%).

All EU countries registered a rise in the value of agricultural output in 2022 compared with 2021. The sharpest rates of increase were recorded in Estonia (+44%), Poland (+43%) and Lithuania (+42%), underpinned by sharp price rises.

Source dataset: aact_eaa05

Among other key producers, the value of agricultural output increased by 30% in Germany, 18% in the Netherlands, 16% in France and Italy, 10% in Spain, and 5% in Romania.

A little more than half (54%) of the value of the EU’s agricultural output in 2022 came from crops (€287.9 bn, +15% compared with 2021). Two-fifths (38%) came from animals and animal products (€206.0 bn, +26% compared with 2021). The remaining share came from agricultural services and secondary activities.

EU agricultural input costs not related to investment (intermediate consumption) were 22% higher in 2022 than in 2021.

The changes in the value of agricultural output and intermediate consumption in 2022 resulted in a 15% rise in the gross value added generated by agriculture.

Tags: prices, agricultural sector, EU