Available volume has decreased over the last year due to a decrease in harvest as well as a surplus of foreign trade in the spring compared to 2014. A seasonal demand means that prices have continued to increase compared to last year and the 2009-2013 average.
The 2014-2015 season was marked by a decrease of root production acreage. The offer was modest and prices managed to stay above those of the previous season and increased compared to the 2009-2013 average. A decrease in demand was reported for winter vegetables due to the mild temperatures and a preference for the first summer vegetables, but this was not the case for chicory which saw prices clearly increase over May. An imbalance was provoked by the reduced offer at the end of the season (decreasing over the last year and plummeting compared to the 2009-2013 average) alongside the seasonal demand. Foreign trade balance has increased in 2014-2015 compared to the last season. Imports increased in spring 2015, but exports (which were much higher volumes) increased just as much and led to a reduced volume available on the national market. The first seedlings of the 2015-2016 season are being grown under tarpaulins in the main production regions.
A 2,800 hectare decrease in acreage compared to last year was reported over the 2014-2015 season (-27% to 7,504 hectares). The Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy represent 91% of national chicory production). 1,000 hectares were lost in Picardy (-35%/last year, -40%/ 2009-2013 average) and 1,700 hectares in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais (-26%/last year, almost -30%/2009-2013 average). The national decrease in acreage reaches 31% compared to the 2009-2013 average. Brittany, with a smaller acreage (4% of national production), is the only region to record an increase over the last year and compared to the 2009-2013 average.
With a stable yield over the last year, the decrease in root production (-27%, 211,291 tons) is equivalent to the decrease in acreage. Productivity is lower than the 2009-2013 average recording a 38% decrease in harvest. The decrease in chicory head production (-9%, 166,500 tons) is higher than the decrease of roots and continued to decrease over the season reaching over 9% in a year and 16% compared to the 2009-2013 average. Production at the end of the season continues to decrease every month compared to 2013-2014.