In 2021, agricultural output in the European Union (EU) was valued at €449.5 billion in basic prices, representing an increase of 8% compared with 2020.

This change stemmed from an increase in the price for agricultural goods and services as a whole (estimated +7.5%), with volume of output remaining little changed from 2020 (estimated +0.8%).

This information comes from the economic accounts for agriculture (EAA) for 2021 published by Eurostat.

Almost three quarters of the value of the EU’s agricultural output in 2021 came from seven member states: France (18% of the EU total); Italy (14%); Germany (13%); Spain (13%); the Netherlands (7%); Poland (6%); and Romania (5%).

In 2020, 11 out of 27 EU member states registered a decrease in the value of agricultural output.

The biggest declines were recorded in: Romania (-11.3%); Malta and Bulgaria (both -4.5%); Finland (-3.9%); Hungary; and the Netherlands (both -3.1%).

In contrast, the highest increases, in relative terms, were registered in: Lithuania (+8.6%); Ireland (+4.6%); Slovakia (+3.8%); Latvia (+3.1%); and Cyprus (+2.8%). 

Among the member states with the largest agricultural industry, the value of total agricultural output decreased by 2.3% in Italy, 1.9% in France, and 1.6% in Germany, while it increased by 1.1% in Spain. 

The value of both EU’s crop and animal output registered decreased of 1% and 1.1%, respectively.   

When it comes to EU agricultural input costs (intermediate consumption), there was a slight decrease of 1.1%, as compared to the previous year, which resulted in a stronger rate of decline (1.3%) in the gross value added generated by agriculture.

The value of agricultural output comprises the values of crop production, animal production, and ‘other items’, i.e., agricultural services (e.g., the processing of agricultural products, or agricultural contract work), andinseparable non-agricultural secondary activities (e.g., certain agri-tourism activities).

Values at basic prices are values at producer prices from which taxes on products have been subtracted and subsidies on products have been added.