EU greenhouse vegetable trade shifts to deficit

The European Union’s greenhouse vegetable trade has undergone a structural reversal, transitioning from a surplus to a growing deficit. The combined trade balance for key products—tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, and eggplants—swung from a 423,130-tonne surplus in 2015 to a projected 277,940-tonne deficit by 2025.

This shift is characterized by a 60.1% increase in imports from third countries between 2015–2017 and 2023–2025, while exports declined by 12.9%. Specific product trends include tomatoes, which moved from a 119,559-tonne surplus in 2015 to a projected 390,634-tonne deficit by 2025. Bell peppers and zucchini have also transitioned to deficits. While cucumbers and eggplants maintain surpluses, these margins continue to diminish.

Morocco remains a dominant supplier, holding a 68.1% market share of EU tomato imports as of 2025. However, the competitive landscape is evolving. In the first five months of 2026, Spain exported 267,350 tons of tomatoes to the EU, with Morocco following closely at 243,470 tons. While Morocco has seen a 55.9% increase in exports of key greenhouse products like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, Turkey is emerging as a significant rival, particularly in the cucumber and pepper sectors.