"According to forecasts drawn up on May 1st, 2025, French cauliflower production is estimated at 178,900 tons for the 2024-2025 marketing year, which is 13,000 tons less than in 2023-2024, and well below the five-year average," according to the Agreste conjuncture note. In April 2025, prices were 47% lower than in 2024 and 34% lower than the 2020-2024 average for the same month, with demand unable to absorb the large volumes for the period.
Major drop in production in Brittany
At 12,716 hectares, the national cauliflower area for the 2024-2025 season is down by 5% from last year (a trend that has been observed for the last 5 seasons), and 10% below the 2019/2023 average.
This year, the national production is estimated at 178,900 tons, down by 7% from last year and 19% lower than the average for the last 5 years. This drop can be attributed to the decrease in production in Brittany (-8% from last year and -20% compared to the five-year average).
"After a month of very low supplies in February, cauliflower production returned to a level close to that of the previous season in March, lower than the average of recent years, and up sharply from last year in April."
Very low prices as the season comes to an end
Agreste reports that in March, "the market was not very dynamic, and prices remained relatively low and unremunerative. In April, supplies were particularly high, with large-caliber growth favored by the damp, cool weather. Despite substantial cutting of medium-sized trees and harvesting for processing, prices continued to fall, reaching particularly low levels for the period (-47% from last year and -34% compared with the five-year average). Between June 2024 and March 2025, exports (79,000 tons) and imports (54,500 tons) of cauliflowers and broccoli rose by 3% and 17% respectively, compared with the same period in the previous marketing year. The foreign trade surplus in volume terms (24,500 tons) is down from last year (-19%).
Source: Agreste