IndexBox has just published a new report: ‘EU – Cabbage And Other Brassicas – Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights’. Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

The EU cabbage market rose significantly to $3.1B in 2019, increasing by 7.7% against the previous year. This figure reflects the total revenues of producers and importers (excluding logistics costs, retail marketing costs, and retailers’ margins, which will be included in the final consumer price). In general, consumption saw a relatively flat trend pattern. The level of consumption peaked at $3.1B in 2013; afterward, it flattened through to 2019.

Consumption by Country

The countries with the highest volumes of cabbage consumption in 2019 were Romania (1.1M tonnes), Poland (924K tonnes), and Germany (693K tonnes), with a combined 59% share of total consumption. These countries were followed by the UK, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Greece, Austria, and the Czech Republic, which together accounted for a further 28%.

From 2013 to 2019, the biggest increases were in Spain, while cabbage consumption for the other leaders experienced mixed trends in the consumption figures.

In value terms, Poland ($510M), Germany ($438M) and Romania ($425M) constituted the countries with the highest levels of market value in 2019, together accounting for 45% of the total market.

In 2019, the highest levels of cabbage per capita consumption was registered in Romania (57 kg per person), followed by Poland (24 kg per person), Portugal (10 kg per person) and Belgium (9.60 kg per person), while the world average per capita consumption of cabbage was estimated at 9 kg per person.

Production in the EU

In 2019, the production of cabbage and other brassicas decreased by -1.3% to 4.6M tonnes, falling for the second year in a row after two years of growth. In general, production showed a mild curtailment. The growth pace was the most rapid in 2014 with an increase of 4.2% y-o-y. As a result, production reached a peak volume of 5.3M tonnes. From 2015 to 2019, production growth remained at a somewhat lower figure. The general negative trend in terms output was largely conditioned by a mild decline of the harvested area and a relatively flat trend pattern in yield figures.

Production by Country

The countries with the highest volumes of cabbage production in 2019 were Romania (1.1M tonnes), Poland (955K tonnes), and Germany (591K tonnes), with a combined 58% share of total production. Italy, the UK, Spain, the Netherlands, France, Portugal, Belgium, and Greece lagged somewhat behind, together accounting for a further 31%.

From 2013 to 2019, the most notable rate of growth in terms of cabbage production, amongst the main producing countries, was attained by Spain, while cabbage production for the other leaders experienced a decline in the production figures.

Harvested Area and Yield in the EU

The cabbage harvested area fell to 156K ha in 2019, standing approx. the year before. In general, the harvested area showed a mild descent. The level of harvested area peaked at 166K ha in 2013; however, from 2014 to 2019, it remained at a lower figure.

The average cabbage yield amounted to 29 tonnes per ha in 2019, almost unchanged from the year before. In general, the yield, however, recorded a relatively flat trend pattern.

Exports in the EU

In 2019, the amount of cabbage and other brassicas exported in the European Union expanded slightly to 656K tonnes, growing by 2.5% compared with 2018 figures. The pace of growth was the most pronounced in 2014 when exports increased by 7.1% y-o-y. As a result, exports attained the peak of 743K tonnes. From 2015 to 2019, the growth exports remained at a somewhat lower figure. In value terms, cabbage exports expanded sharply to $613M (IndexBox estimates) in 2019.

Exports by Country

The Netherlands represented the major exporting country with an export of around 210K tonnes, which reached 32% of total exports. Spain (99K tonnes) occupied a 15% share (based on tonnes) of total exports, which put it in second place, followed by Germany (12%), Italy (11%), Poland (8.9%), Belgium (7.3%) and Portugal (5.3%).

The Netherlands experienced a relatively flat trend pattern with regard to the volume of exports of cabbage and other brassicas. At the same time, Portugal (+9.0%), Spain (+6.2%), Belgium (+3.9%), and Italy (+3.3%) displayed positive paces of growth. Moreover, Portugal emerged as the fastest-growing cabbage exporter in the European Union, with a CAGR of +9.0% from 2013-2019. By contrast, Germany (-2.4%) and Poland (-13.2%) illustrated a downward trend over the same period.

In value terms, the Netherlands ($224M) remains the largest cabbage supplier in the European Union, comprising 37% of total exports. The second position in the ranking was occupied by Spain ($107M), with a 17% share of total exports. It was followed by Italy, with a 15% share.

Export Prices by Country

The cabbage export price in the European Union stood at $934 per tonne in 2019, rising by 9.5% against the previous year. Over the period from 2013 to 2019, it increased at an average annual rate of +3.4%. As a result, export price attained the peak level and is likely to continue growing in the immediate term.

Prices varied noticeably by the country of origin; the country with the highest price was Italy ($1,321 per tonne), while Poland ($609 per tonne) was amongst the lowest.

From 2013 to 2019, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by Germany, while the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Source: IndexBox AI Platform