In 2019, with 77.0 billion euros, France had the highest total agricultural production among the Member States (about 18% of the total production by the EU), followed by Germany (58.2 billion or 14%), Italy (57.8 billion or 14%), Spain (51.7 billion or 12%), the Netherlands (29.1 bn or 7%), Poland (26.4 billion or 6%) and Romania (19.0 billion or 5%).
Agriculture is a source of economic growth in France: in 2019, the value generated by all agricultural and agri-food activities represented 3.4% of the French GDP. In addition, the foreign trade surplus of agri-food products was 7.8 billion euros in 2019.
Agriculture is an activity that creates jobs: in 2019, production and processing activities related to agriculture, forestry, fishing and agri-food industries employed 1.4 million people (employees and non-salaried) in full-time equivalent, or 5.2% of total national employment. In metropolitan France, women represented 30% of permanent agricultural workers in 2019.
Agriculture has a strong anchoring on the French territory: in 2020, agriculture represented 269.000 km² of the French territory. In metropolitan France, this represents 49% of the territory. In addition, France had 416,400 farms 2020, 20% less than ten years ago. Cattle production uses 33% of the French agricultural area. The average area of French farms continues to increase to reach 69 ha in 2020 (compared to 55 ha in 2010). The French agriculture is also characterized by a growing importance of organic farming.
France has an important animal production: the country is indeed the second largest European dairy producer and the largest beef producer with the greatest diversity of bovine breeds over the World. It also has the third largest pig population (behind Germany and Spain). The main animal productions are dairy products (36% in value), bovine meat (21%), pork (13%), poultry meat (12%), eggs (6%), veal (4%) and small ruminants (3%).