French Seed Market 2016: Key figures by UFS (Union Française des Semenciers)

Every year, the French institute UFS (French Seed Union) releases the official figures on the French seed market and its rank in the world. Doriane's team is glad to propose you a translation of this information :

FIRST INTERNATIONAL EXPORTER - FIRST EUROPEAN PRODUCER

• 47% Trade balance of French agriculture
• 13% Turnover invested in Research and Development
• 248 factories, producing 5800 varieties (excl. Vegetables)

• 950 M€ Trade surplus
• 73 companies breeding more than 70 species
• 70% Increase of Organic Seeds production surface in 5 years

• 3,3 Billion euros Turnover
• 131 Research centers in France
• 556 New varieties listed in the National Catalogue in 2016

Diverse company sizes

Distribution of Seed companies according to their sizes:

48% very small ( Income < 1M€)

31% small (Income between 1 and 10 M€)

15% medium (Income between 10 and 50 M€)

6% large (income >50M€)

Employment spread over the whole territory

Number of employees salaried by Seed companies (see map)

France confirms its strategic position in the Seed Market, as it's the fourth country in the world in nb of resisent UPOV applications for new plant variety protection.

European Union keeps its leading position as well, on top of China and USA. We can notice a remarquable rise of Chinese applications, confirming the main role that country plays in the world's varieties innovations.

UFS (Union Française des Semenciers) is the French seed association for seed companies & plant breeders. UFS, which was founded in March 2009, is a trade association which deals with Seed Industry and plant breeding promotion in France and Worldwide. UFS gathers 135 French seed companies involved in 3 key activities :

• Plant breeding
• Seed production
• Seed marketing

More information on http://www.ufs-semenciers.org/international/Lists/pages/whoarewe.aspx

The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) is an intergovernmental organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. UPOV was established in 1961 by the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (the “UPOV Convention”). The mission of UPOV is to provide and promote an effective system of plant variety protection, with the aim of encouraging the development of new varieties of plants, for the benefit of society. Most countries and intergovernmental organizations which have introduced a plant variety protection (PVP) system have chosen to base their system on the UPOV Convention in order to provide an effective, internationally recognized system (see www.upov.int/members/en/). As of October 10, 2017, UPOV has 75 members.

Sources : 

http://www.ufs-semenciers.org/actualites/Documents/RA%202016-17.pdf

http://www.upov.int/edocs/pressdocs/en/upov_pr_112.pdf