"According to forecasts drawn up on February 1st, 2025, French endive production will reach 140,100 tons for the 2024-2025 season, an increase of 32,800 tons from the low production of 2023-2024. In January 2025, prices were 31% lower than in the 2023-2024 season, but 11% higher than the average price for 2020-2024 over the same month," according to the Agreste economic outlook published last week.
Rising yields from December onwards
"The national area under endive roots for the 2024-2025 season is expected to reach 8,667 hectares, which is 7% more than last year and 6% higher than the 2019-2023 average. Root production for this season, estimated at 218,400 tons, ended in early December. National endive production, obtained from root-forcing trays and harvested between September 2024 and August 2025, is expected to reach 140,100 tons. This estimate is virtually identical to the first forecast made on October 1st, 2024. With the final production level for the 2023-
2024 campaign, the year-on-year change would now be +30%. National production in 2024-2025 would be almost at the level of the five-year average (-1%).
As the production capacity of carry-over roots from the 2023 harvest is low, the transition to forcing between carry-over roots and new crop roots is taking place earlier than usual. Production from the roots harvested in the early autumn of 2024 is limited, at 50 to 60 kilos of endive per tub in the North of France. Productivity then increases in December to reach levels close to 75 kilos per tub."
"With the return of large volumes, prices adjust in December"
"The growing supply was marketed at very firm prices until the end of November. In December, with more volumes available, prices quickly fell back to levels slightly above the five-year average, and production was sold off without any notable unsold quantities. At the beginning of 2025, prices began to rise slightly, but as volumes increased, the market slowed down towards the end of January."
Over the cumulative period from September to December 2024, exports (3,000 tons) were down by 3%, while imports (500 tons) were down by 34% compared to the same period last year.
Source: Agreste
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