Summary
Since 2020, the global carrot market has experienced several noteworthy trends, with China representing 45% of world production. Despite the disruption of trade caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected consumer behavior and led to decreased visits to retail outlets, the market showed resilience. In Europe, the carrot market remained stable between 2011 and 2021 with an annual production near 8.6 million tonnes, though Ukraine's output was impacted in 2022 due to the war.
France's carrot production increased to 530,000 tonnes, ranked 5th in Europe, with an overproduction situation driving prices down sharply in some regions. Organic carrots gained popularity in France, holding 13% of all farms, with a household consuming 0.93 kg of organic carrots yearly. In terms of imports and exports, France relied on imports to meet its consumption, importing 157,000 tons and exporting 58,000 tons. The majority of these activities took place with European countries, and notably, Belgium and Spain were France's main trading partners. Overall carrot prices have fluctuated, with significant increases in particular years due to challenging growing conditions or supply chain issues, as seen in the 73% price hike from 2017 to 2018. In 2020 and 2021, a slight decline in fruit and vegetable consumption followed an uptick during the pandemic. Moving into 2023, the carrot market continues to evolve, with consumer demand for organic options seemingly advancing the sector's growth..
Navigating the Tides of the Carrot Market in France
The carrot market has observed nuanced shifts and transformations in France, indicative of a diverse agricultural landscape and the consumer habits that sculpt it. Within the global arena, France stands prominently, contributing significantly to the European carrot production while harboring a rich domestic market. In terms of yield, advancements in agricultural practices have pushed production from roughly between 30 and 40 tonnes per hectare in 2011 to closer to 40 tonnes per hectare in the latest years. Despite an overall contraction in cultivated area by about 9%, the output has impressively risen, showcasing heightened efficiency. France, in particular, does not pale in comparison to this global uptrend, with a marked increase in carrot production, notably by about 34% in 2021 compared to the previous year.
French soils are nurturing above-average yields, superior to the wider European average yet trailing behind the remarkable production levels of the Netherlands. Interestingly, the landscape of trade has been a mixed bag for France. The nation has seen its carrot market's trade balance plummet into deficit; in 2021, it produced between 700 and 800 million carrots, falling short of the nearly 800,000 tonnes consumed domestically.
Consumption habits within France reveal a palpable seasonality, with demand for carrots hitting its zenith from October to June, followed by a discernible decline through the summer months. This phenomenon mirrors the supply curve, as different carrot types — early, storage, and seasonal — punctuate the calendar year with their unique harvest periods. Prices, an ever-pivotal aspect, vary dramatically based on carrot variety and selling platform. For instance, conventional orange carrots and colored varieties like purple and yellow command different price points, with the average price on MonMarché.fr standing at €1.99/kg for the former and €2.99/kg for the latter in 2023. There's no denying the shifting consumer landscape, often defined by generational consumption. Households led by people in their sixties and seventies are the stalwarts of carrot consumption, whereas younger demographics display comparatively restrained appetites.
Key Players in the Carrot Industry Landscape
In the competitive arena of the carrot industry, certain players stand out for their significant market presence and influential roles in shaping the sector. From producers to exporters, these entities collectively create an intricate network that drives the global carrot market forward.
- Vilmorin&Cie: As a market leader in the seed industry, Vilmorin&Cie stands tall with its consistent annual growth. Their specialization in the agriculture sector, particularly in the development and distribution of vegetable seeds, positions them to significantly impact carrot production worldwide. The company's steady growth since 2019, highlighted by an expected sales increase of +7.5% between 2021 and 2022, illuminates their strong foothold and the confidence they inspire in their market.
- Belgium Carrot Exporters: Despite being a minor player in terms of carrot production, Belgium punches above its weight class in the export ring. The country astonishingly exports over half of its carrot produce, primarily to neighboring nations such as France and the Netherlands. This remarkable trade performance underscores Belgium's strategic positioning in the carrot export sector, ensuring their relevance in the European carrot market.
- French Carrot Producers: France holds its own as the fifth-largest carrot producer in Europe, with regions like Aquitaine, Normandy, and Brittany leading national production. The French market is characterized by an emphasis on specialty carrots, such as sand carrots, known for their prolonged shelf life and adaptability to the sandy soils prevalent along the Atlantic coast. The French carrot producers' commitment to quality and regional cultivation techniques has ensured their survival and competitiveness despite challenges such as supply-demand imbalances and fluctuations in pricing.
- China: The titanic contributor to the global carrot output, China astounds with 45% of the world's carrot production rooted in its grounds. Moreover, the nation also partakes in the international carrot trade, exporting a fraction of its enormous harvest to its Asian neighbors. China's vast production scale and involvement in exports make it an indispensable force in the global carrot industry.
- Uzbekistan: Holding the title of the second-largest carrot-producing country, Uzbekistan solidifies Asia's lead in the carrot production race. Although their export numbers are less remarkable compared to their overall production, their contribution plays a crucial role in the continent's market dynamics.
- United States: With a notable carrot production portfolio, the United States is not just a significant producer but also an active exporter, establishing itself as a vital player in both the domestic and global carrot markets.
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- Number of pages : 30 pages
- Format : Digital and PDF versions
- Last update : 09/03/2023
Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Definition and scope of study
The carrot is a member of the root vegetable family, and the most widely grown vegetable in this category after the potato. Carrots require deep, fertile, light soil, free of stones, gravel and clods. The climate must be cool (between 16° and 21°), and well-distributed irrigation ensures optimal growth.
Annual carrot production is estimated at 35.5 million tonnes, and the world's biggest producers are, in order: China by far, followed by Russia and the USA. Carrots are mainly distributed either on the fresh market or in production for industry. Market leader Vilmorin&Cie has been growing steadily since 2019, with sales set to increase by +7.5% between 2021 and 2022.
The Covid-19 crisis has also significantly disrupted trade, with the population visiting retail outlets less frequently. In France, carrot production amounts to 530,000 tonnes, and this quantity is growing. France ranks 5th in Europe for total carrot production : national carrot acreage is on the rise, and yields are at a good level, but demand is not as strong as supply. While volumes marketed in 2021-2022 have increased, prices have fallen sharply in the South-West, Normandy and North zones, leading to economic results that are well down on the 2020 campaign.
In 2021, thanks to overall investment in the sector and larger areas allocated to carrot cultivation, production increased by 34% compared to 2020.
1.2 Global and European markets
Global carrot production:
Global carrot production has been growing slowly and discontinuously for the past ten years, but the market as a whole grew by **% in volume between **** and ****. In ****, **.* million tonnes of carrots will be produced worldwide.
At the same time, the area devoted to carrot cultivation fell by *%. This ...
1.3 French carrot market
In ****, the French will consume ***,*** tonnes of carrots, i.e. **.* kg per year per household and **.* kg per year per inhabitant. French production is not sufficient to absorb the country's per capita consumption. Carrot prices fluctuate in France, depending on provenance, quality and marketing location. However, the price of a kilogram ...
1.4 French carrot market trade balance
in ****, France produced *** million carrots , less than its annual consumption of ***,*** tonnes. To satisfy domestic consumption, the country is obliged to import carrots. Nevertheless, France remains a small carrot exporter. France's carrot trade balance in **** was $** million. The country exports **,*** tons of carrots worth $** million and imports ***,*** tons of carrots worth ...
1.5 Consequences of the conflict in Ukraine, the fertilizer war
Ukraine is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of fertilizers. The war in Ukraine has led to political and economic instability in the region, with consequences for the fertilizer industry. Fertilizer production and export companies experienced difficulties due to falling demand and disruptions in supply chains.
Fertilizer prices in ...
2 Demand analysis
2.1 Seasonality of supply and demand for carrots in France
Carrots are an important part of the French diet, the second most consumed vegetable in France after potatoes. The French consume around **.* kilos of carrots per capita per year. French national carrot consumption in **** will be equivalent to ***,*** tons per year.
To analyze the seasonality of annual carrot demand, we can ...
2.2 Consumer typology
The fruit and vegetable market is highly disparate in terms of consumption habits, with some age groups consuming more of these products than others.
For the carrot market (***), the main consumers are people in their sixties and seventies, who represent **% of the French population in terms of volume, and **% of the ...
2.3 The development of organic carrots
Like many other products, carrots are benefiting from a trend towards organic farming. A general awareness of the importance of health, nature and the soil is driving consumers and producers to favor organic products.
The main organic label in France is AB for "agriculture biologique". This label, created by the French ...
3 Market structure
3.1 Industry organization
Source: ****
Carrots are roots that keep particularly well in the ground, so sowing and harvesting are staggered throughout the seasons to spread out harvests.
Harvested carrots are transported to packing stations, where theyare washed, brushed, sorted, graded and cooled usingthe hydrocooling technique (***).
Grading enables us to distinguish between carrots that will ...
3.2 Carrot production in France
Carrot production in France is highly localized. A study by Agreste (***) published in January **** looks at the main carrot-growing regions in France. The study identifies the main carrot-growing basins, focusing on the three regions with the highest carrot production in France: Aquitaine, Normandy and Brittany. These three regions account for **%, **% and ...
3.3 Transformer networks
The carrot processing industry for the food industry is federated by UNILET, the interprofessional organization for canned and frozen vegetables. For the purposes of this section, we will be basing ourselves on figures provided by UNILET. "According to a survey conducted by CSA for UNILET, **% of French people say they eat ...
3.4 Distribution networks
Carrots, like all vegetables, are distributed to the general public by a large number of players, including hypermarkets and supermarkets, EDMP "Enseignes à Dominante Marque Propre" (***) or simply markets.
Even so, some retailers are the preferred source of fresh vegetables, while others are losing market share. Online vegetable shopping has yet to ...
4 Offer analysis
4.1 Prices for different types of carrots
Price differences for carrots according to type:
To build a coherent typology for price comparison, we're going to focus on a single supplier offering carrots (***) throughout France. This is the website MonMarché.fr. This site offers different categories of carrots, which will enable us to compare their prices.
Carrots are usually ...
4.2 Price trends for carrots
INSEE has set up an indicator to monitor carrot prices. This indicator is an artificial average of carrot prices on a national scale, although in reality this price fluctuates and describes a national trend rather than a reality.
General price trends :
Average carrot price trend over the last ten years France, ...
4.3 Innovations and new farming techniques for the carrot market
Staggered annual carrot production:
Carrots are a seasonal vegetable. However, French consumption patterns for carrots are more seasonal than just harvesting season. Farmers and manufacturers must therefore find economic solutions to spread production out over a longer period of the year.
Rotation of carrot varieties and categories:
The first solution found ...
5 Regulations
5.1 General regulations
UN/ECE standard FFV ** - **** : This standard applies to carrots of varieties (***) The eGALIM * law (***) The French Rural and Fisheries Codedefines collective sales outlets for agriculture: "Art. L. ***-*. - local agricultural producers may come together in producers' stores to market their products to consumers as part of an organized short ...
5.2 The various labels available to guide consumer choices
Label Rouge: The Label Rouge is a national sign that designates products which, due to their production or manufacturing conditions, have a higher level of quality than other similar products usually marketed.
Appellation d'Origine Protégée (***): the product says where it comes from: its name is that of a place ...
6 Positioning the players
6.1 Player segmentation
- CONSERVES FRANCE
- BONDUELLE EUROPE LONG LIFE
- DUJARDIN BRETAGNE
- Agrial Coopérative Primeal
- KULTIVE
- Arterris Coopérative
- LARRERE
List of charts
- Global carrot production: volume produced and area harvested
- European carrot production: volume produced and area harvested
- Breakdown of fresh carrot production by country
- Breakdown of carrot exports from China
- Breakdown of carrot exports from Belgium
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The carrot market | France
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