A new study finds that crop production growth in the EU and UK has lagged behind major agricultural markets, raising concerns about farmers’ access to new technologies, climate resilience and long-term competitiveness.
Crop production in the European Union and United Kingdom has grown significantly more slowly than in major agricultural markets, including the United States, Brazil, China, Canada and India, according to a new study examining agricultural productivity, climate pressures and access to innovation.
The report, commissioned by Bayer and combining economic analysis from Oxford Economics with consumer surveys and farmer interviews, found that European agriculture faces increasing competitive pressures as farmers contend with rising input costs, climate-related losses and slower access to new technologies.
Between 2011 and 2023, EU crop output grew by an average of just 0.1% annually, while the UK recorded no growth. By comparison, annual growth averaged 1% in the United States, 2% globally and between 2% and 3% in China, Canada and India. Brazil recorded average annual growth of 3.3%.
Comparing average production across decades, EU output increased by only 2%, compared with gains of 16% in the United States, 44% in Canada and 51% in Brazil.
The findings highlight concerns about Europe’s ability to maintain agricultural competitiveness and food security while adapting to increasingly unpredictable growing conditions.
Climate Pressures Add to Productivity Challenges
Crop agriculture remains a significant contributor to Europe’s economy, generating an estimated €246 billion in EU GDP and €5.7 billion in UK GDP. The study found that every €1 billion in crop agriculture output supports nearly €3 billion in downstream production across other sectors.
However, climate-related pressures are placing an increasing burden on agricultural production.
The report estimates that climate risks already cause average annual losses of €17.4 billion, equivalent to 6.4% of EU crop production. By 2050, those losses are projected to increase to between €24.8 billion and €28.9 billion.
Alongside rising input costs and geopolitical uncertainty, these pressures are increasing the importance of crop varieties and agricultural technologies capable of maintaining productivity under challenging conditions.
The research identifies a growing gap between the speed at which farmers face new challenges and the time required for innovations to reach commercial use.
Access to Seed Innovation and New Technologies
The report identifies improved access to seed technologies, modern crop protection products, precision agriculture, automation and artificial intelligence as important factors in strengthening European agricultural resilience.
Farmers in competing agricultural markets often have access to a broader range of technologies or can adopt new developments sooner than their European counterparts.
For plant breeders and seed companies, the findings reinforce the importance of regulatory systems that allow new varieties and traits to reach farmers while maintaining appropriate safety standards.
The study points to lengthy approval processes, administrative requirements and slower technology adoption as barriers that can limit the availability of agricultural innovations.
Crop protection is one area where the report identifies a narrowing range of options. According to the research, more than 1,000 active ingredients were authorized in the EU in the early 2000s, compared with approximately 420 today.
Over the past seven years, farmers have lost access to 92 active ingredients, while only one new synthetic active ingredient reached the market during that period.
The UK has approved four entirely new active ingredients since 2022 that remain unapproved or pending in the EU. It has also maintained approvals for 15 active ingredients whose EU authorizations have expired or been withdrawn since Brexit.
However, potential changes to UK regulatory alignment with the EU could affect the continued availability of some of these products.
The report argues that more predictable and proportionate regulatory approaches could help improve access to agricultural technologies while maintaining safety and environmental protections.
Consumers Support Agricultural Innovation
The research also examined public attitudes toward agriculture and technology through surveys involving more than 8,000 consumers across European markets.
The findings suggest strong public support for agricultural innovation and recognition of the connection between farm productivity, food affordability and national security.
According to the survey, 84% of respondents consider food security a matter of national security. The same proportion believe farmers should have access to the latest technologies and innovations to improve harvests and help reduce food prices.
Another 77% believe reducing bureaucracy would help Europe maintain sufficient food production, while 63% say they would be more likely to vote for a political party that supported farmers’ use of new science and technology.
These findings suggest that public attitudes toward agricultural innovation may be more favourable than is sometimes assumed, particularly when new technologies are connected to food security, affordability and climate resilience.
Strengthening Europe’s Agricultural Competitiveness
The report concludes that Europe’s ability to remain competitive will depend partly on how effectively research and innovation can be translated into practical tools for farmers.
This includes improving access to advanced crop genetics, new breeding technologies, crop protection options and digital tools that support more efficient production.
The findings also highlight the importance of balancing regulatory oversight with the need to bring new agricultural technologies into commercial use.
With climate pressures expected to intensify and competing agricultural markets continuing to expand production, the study suggests that the pace of innovation adoption will play an increasingly important role in determining Europe’s agricultural resilience and long-term food security.
The research combined economic analysis, consumer polling and interviews with approximately 90 farmers across eight European markets: Benelux, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Click here to read the Economic study by Oxford Economics
