Luxembourg, 15 September 2026
- Producer organisations receive around €1 billion in EU support each year
- They are becoming less attractive and membership is declining
- Most of them are still in a weak position compared to large retailers
Although EU funding is helping them to become more competitive, fruit and vegetable producer organisations are losing ground, according to a new report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA). The auditors say that uneven national support, complex EU rules, and the Commission’s lack of response to the challenges the sector faces are holding back its development.
Fruit and vegetable producers are having to deal with growing economic and environmental pressure, from rising costs to changing market demand. Producer organisations are meant to help them to respond collectively: farmers can sell together, invest jointly in equipment and infrastructure, improve product quality, and negotiate better terms with buyers. Despite these benefits, producer organisations have been losing market share. Also, the number of member farmers fell by 39 % between 2012 and 2023.
“If producer organisations are to help farmers to stand up to large buyers and provide consumers with a wide variety of European fruit and vegetables, the rules must be simpler, national support more consistent, and membership more attractive”, said Keit Pentus-Rosimannus, the ECA Member in charge of the audit.
Producer organisations that bring together fruit and vegetable growers received €1.06 billion in EU support in 2023. They used this funding to modernise equipment, automate production, save energy and water, obtain quality certificates, improve packaging and logistics, and develop quality labels recognised by consumers. As the funds are linked to marketed production value, this also encourages organisations to increase turnover and plan production according to market demand. However, despite the EU support, producer organisations remain in a weak position compared to large retailers.
Larger producer organisations can offer bigger volumes and a wider range of products, which helps them to negotiate better. However, in most member states, producer organisations are not large or well-known enough to bargain from a strong position. Belgium and the Netherlands are the only countries where such organisations are economically significant.
The auditors found further major differences between EU countries. Some have no recognised producer organisations at all. In the rest, the share of production marketed through them ranges from 0.8 % in Slovenia to 86 % in Denmark. Historical and cultural factors explain part of this variation, but national choices also play a role.
Some authorities actively advise organisations, and allow a broad range of funded actions. Others apply stricter eligibility rules or provide less support. This creates an uneven playing field within the single market. It can also deter farmers from joining producer organisations or submitting operational programmes to obtain EU funding. The auditors found that although the Commission has identified some of these challenges, it has not done enough to address them, or to help member states to compare and align implementation.
Background information
Agriculture is an important part of the EU’s society and economy, providing food for 450 million Europeans and jobs for 30 million people. In 2024, the sector contributed €532 billion, or 1.2 % of EU gross domestic product. Fresh fruit and vegetables accounted for around €80 billion of this output, produced on around two million farms.
According to the European Commission, the EU had 1 488 recognised fruit and vegetable producer organisations in 2024, with 187 372 members. Producer organisations can also group together in associations; 69 such associations had been recognised by the EU in 2024.
The audit assessed whether EU support improved the competitiveness of members of fruit and vegetable producer organisations, and made joining such organisations more attractive. The auditors analysed operational programmes from 57 producer organisations and five associations, and visited 19 organisations in Spain, France, Italy and Poland. They also reviewed EU and national frameworks in these countries, and evaluation reports for Belgium, Czechia, Germany and the Netherlands.
Related links
- Special report 22/2026: Producer organisations in the fruit and vegetables sector – Fertile ground for competitiveness if carefully tended
- Key facts and findings
Source – ECA