The 2015 courgette season in France has decreased over the year and is lower than the 2010-2014 average. 2014 was a more successful year, allowing production to return to the five year average. Yet this year, acreage has decreased by -5% to 2,640 hectares and production is expected to have decreased by -4% to 124,000 tons.
The largest decrease is seen in greenhouse production, with a -10% decline, however low-sheltered crops have remained at the same production levels as last year. These two covered production methods represent 17% of acreage whilst open air production represents 66%. However, open air production has also seen a decrease this year of -5%. Unlike other vegetable farms, the North favours open air production whilst the South often uses greenhouses for courgette production. The Nord-Pas-de-Calais represents 3% of national production, the Aquitaine region 9% and Languedoc-Roussillon, P.A.C.A and the Rhone Alpes in the South East represent 60%.
The offer is particularly smaller this year as harvest has been decreasing since March. The decrease in production from greenhouse acreage can be particularly noted at the start of the season when open air and low sheltered crops were not yet in season. Because the offer is limited and weather conditions were favourable in April, prices have started to increase compared to last year and compared to the 2010-2014 average.
Imports have also decreased since the start of the year, also affecting the reduced offer. On average imports, mainly from Spain and Morocco, reached 140,000 tons between 2010-2014. Meanwhile, export over the last five years, destined mainly to the North EU reaches about 20,000 tons on average.
In 2013, Spain and Italy were the biggest European producers of squash, pumpkin and courgettes (37% and 38% respectively). France made up for 9% of European production.
