France: World leader of seed exports,
with 1.8 billion euros
November 18, 2020
With its excellent results 2019-2020, exports of 1.8 billion euros, french seed sector confirms its importance to support and secure all farmers, and ensure employment in France. All stakeholders are currently unified to face the worldwide health crisis, in order to ensure food security, in France and in the world. The french trade surplus shows for 2019-2020 outstanding ratings, exceeding one billion euros for the first time. Those results maintain a large proportion of the sector jobs in France.
In October 22nd, the French Minister of Agriculture and Food, Julien Denormandie, highlighted: « In order to have a strong agriculture, exporting agriculture is required ».
Indeed, in 2019, with a total of 1.8 billion, France remains the world leader of seed exports for field crops, ahead of the USA and the Netherlands. Seeds and seedling contribute to 35% of the external trade balance of french farming products.
The commercial surplus has exceeded for the first time one billion euros to reach 1,024 million € (+7,5%).
French seeds, support key of world farming practice
Through this outcome, french seed sector reveals its ability to offer thousands of relevant varieties in order to support farmers in over 150 countries to address climate change challenges, for today and tomorrow, and ensure the required adaptations of plant production.
Export, crucial element in the sustainability of seed sector stakeholders in France
The export opportunities reinforce the structure of national stakeholders in the sector. Thus, more than half of 15,000 employees in France and of 10,000 seed growers of vegetables, corn and oil seeds are related to exports outcome.
Distribution of french seeds among 5 continents contributes largely to:
- maintain on our territory the expertise and know-how of thousands of seed growers, and hundreds of companies of seed production, research and variety breeding ;
- the financing of plant breeding (more than 400 millions €), and so, creation of hundreds varieties per year, ever more suitable for facing all environmental issues and societal expectations over the world.