The vegetable seed market - France

The vegetable seed market in France is a sector of the agricultural industry that studies the economic activity related to vegetable seeds. It is segmented by type of vegetable: among them are cabbage, melon, corn, eggplant, bell pepper, lettuce, carrot, watermelon, onion, and many others. The global seed market has been estimated at over $40 billion by 2020. It is dominated by field seeds (86.3%), while vegetable seeds account for 1§.95% of the world market. The French vegetable seed market is an important one: France has been exporting over 1.5 billion euros worth of seeds worldwide on average in recent years, and the sector makes a significant contribution to the country's balance of trade. By 2021, its top three export customers will be European: spain accounted for 19% of total exports, Italy 16%, the Netherlands 12%, and the top three were followed in fourth and fifth place by Mexico (5%) and Morocco (4%). As a result, France is not only the world's leading export market, but also Europe's largest consumer of seeds. The primary factor driving growth in the sector is the increase in the world's population, which is expected to reach almost 10 billion people by 2050. This means a constantly growing demand for agriculture and food production. The main market driver is therefore demographic growth, but we can also cite the adaptation of agricultural varieties to climate change. This is a strong argument in favor of seed companies, who are investing in R&D to adapt their offer. The most powerful player on the market is France's Vilmorin & Cie, the seed subsidiary of the Limagrain cooperative. The company has established itself as the world leader in vegetable seeds, surpassing even the giants Bayer-Monsanto and Syngenta. It has recently positioned itself in the fennel, lamb's lettuce, spinach, chard and radish markets, strategically targeting niches for growth.