Required Report - public distribution

**Date:** 9/26/2003

**GAIN Report Number:** FR3054

FR3054

**France**

**Processed Sweet Corn**

**Annual**

**2003**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Kurt Seifarth

U.S. Embassy

**Prepared by:**

Marie-Cécile Hénard

**Report Highlights:**

France is the largest producer of sweet corn in Europe, with 85 percent
of the canned sweet corn production and 70 percent of the frozen sweet
corn production in 2002. However, in 2003, EU and French sweet corn
production was severely damaged by drought and abnormally high
temperatures. These climatic conditions favored the development and
infestation of the corn ear worm throughout the French sweet corn
production area. Production is expected to shrink 20 percent from 2002
levels. French sweet corn competes with U.S., Thai and Hungarian
products in the EU and and Russia. The favorable exchange rate of the
U.S. dollar favored U.S. exports to Europe in MY 2002/03 and the decline
in the 2003 European harvest may be a new marketing opportunity for U.S.
products.

Includes PSD Changes: Yes

Includes Trade Matrix: Yes

Unscheduled Report

Paris \[FR1\]

\[FR\]

Table of Contents

[Executive Summary 3](#executive-summary)

[Statistical Tables 3](#statistical-tables)

[PS&D Table 3](#psd-table)

[Production, Supply and Demand 6](#production-supply-and-demand)

[Production 6](#production)

[Consumption 7](#consumption)

[Trade 7](#trade)

[Marketing 7](#marketing)

# Executive Summary

France is the largest producer of sweet corn in Europe, with 85 percent
of the canned sweet corn production and 70 percent of the frozen sweet
corn production in 2002. However, in 2003, EU and French sweet corn
production was severely damaged by drought and abnormally high
temperatures. These climatic conditions favored the development and
infestation of the corn ear worm throughout the French sweet corn
production area. Production is expected to shrink 20 percent from 2002
levels. French sweet corn competes with U.S., Thai and Hungarian
products in the EU and and Russia. The favorable exchange rate of the
U.S. dollar favored U.S. exports to Europe in MY 2002/03 and the decline
in the 2003 European harvest may be a new marketing opportunity for U.S.
products.

# Statistical Tables

## PS&D Table

  --------------- ------------ ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- ---------- -----------
  **PSD Table**                                                                        

  **Country**     **France**                                                           

  **Commodity**   **Canned                                      (MT)(Dec.              
                  Sweet Corn**                                  Fraction)              

                  2001         Revised    2002       Estimate   2003        Forecast   UOM

                  USDA         Post       USDA       Post       USDA        Post       
                  Official     Estimate   Official   Estimate   Official    Estimate   
                  \[Old\]      \[New\]    \[Old\]    \[New\]    \[Old\]     \[New\]    

  **Market Year                07/2001               07/2002                07/2003    MM/YYYY
  Begin**                                                                              

  Production      243000       269800     0          285100     0           230000     (MT)
  Gross WT                                                                             

  Production Net  146386       162530     0          171747     0           138554     (MT)
  WT                                                                                   

  Conv. Rate      1            1,660001   0          1,66       0           1,660003   (Dec.
  Net/Gross                                                                            Fraction)
  --------------- ------------ ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- ---------- -----------

**Trade Matrices** (Source: Eurostat)

  --------------- ----------- --------------- ------------- ------------- ---------- -- ----------
  **Export Trade                                                                        
  Matrix**                                                                              

  **Country**                 France                                                    

  **Commodity**               Canned Sweet                                              
                              Corn                                                      

  Time Period                 Jan-June                      Units:                      MT

  Exports for:                2001                                                      **2002**

  U.S.                        0                             U.S.                        0

  Others                                                    Others                      

  Germany                     27432                         UK                          25873

  UK                          22773                         Germany                     22653

  Spain                       21288                         Spain                       20156

  Italy                       12481                         Italy                       13363

  Belgium                     6336                          Belgium                     5195

  Russia                      4939                          Sweden                      3871

  Sweden                      4331                          Denmark                     2670

  Switzerland                 3417                          Switzerland                 2215

  Denmark                     2632                          Russia                      1746

  Israel                      1487                          Austria                     1200

  Total for                   107116                                                    98942
  Others                                                                                

  Others not                  9562                                                      9456
  Listed                                                                                

  Grand Total                 116678                                                    108398

                                                                                        

  **Import Trade                                                                        
  Matrix**                                                                              

  **Country**     France                                                                

  **Commodity**   Canned                                                                
                  Sweet Corn                                                            

  Time Period     July-June                   Units:                      MT            

  Imports for:    2001                                                    **2002**      

  U.S.            183                         U.S.                        148           

  Others                                      Others                                    

  Germany         2367                        Germany                     2379          

  Thailand        1846                        Thailand                    2115          

  Netherlands     1119                        Netherlands                 1606          

  Italy           746                         Spain                       916           

  Spain           531                         Italy                       532           

  Canada          278                         Canada                      266           

                                                                                        

                                                                                        

                                                                                        

                                                                                        

  Total for       6887                                                    7814          
  Others                                                                                

  Others not      392                                                     232           
  Listed                                                                                

  Grand Total     7462                                                    8194          
  --------------- ----------- --------------- ------------- ------------- ---------- -- ----------

During the same period (MY 2001/02 and 2002/03), French frozen sweet
corn trade was as follows (source: Eurostat):

  -------------------- ---------------- ------------------ ----------------
  Export Trade Matrix                                      

  Country              France                              

  Commodity            Frozen Sweet                        
                       Corn                                

  Time period          July‑June        Units:             MT

  Exports for:         2001/02                             2002/03

  U.S.                 0                U.S.               0

  Others                                Others             

  Belgium              5318             Belgium            5074

  UK                   5161             Germany            928

  Germany              1258             Netherlands        766

                                        UK                 754

  Total for Others     11737                               7522

  Others not Listed    1526                                889

  Grand Total          13263                               8411
  -------------------- ---------------- ------------------ ----------------

  -------------------- ---------------- ------------------ ----------------
  Import Trade Matrix                                      

  Country              France                              

  Commodity            Frozen Sweet                        
                       Corn                                

  Time period          July‑June        Units:             MT

  Imports for:         2001/02                             2002/03

  U.S.                 71               U.S.               0

  Others                                Others             

  Spain                1042             Germany            1610

  Belgium              1620             Spain              1433

  Netherlands          488              Belgium            1407

  Total for Others     3150                                4450

  Others not Listed    1001                                952

  Grand Total          4222                                5402
  -------------------- ---------------- ------------------ ----------------

Source: Eurostat

# Production, Supply and Demand

## Production

## 

France is by far the largest producer of sweet corn in the European
Union. In 2002, French production accounted for 85 percent of EU canned
sweet corn production, and 70 percent of EU frozen sweet corn
production. Most of the French production is canned, to meet domestic
consumption and export demand, while the frozen market is limited. Fresh
sweet corn production is marginal, as consumption is almost non-existent
in France. The area planted to sweet corn was 29,780 ha in 2002, of
which only 2,000 ha were for fresh sweet corn production.

The graphs below indicate that France has had a leading position in the
sweet corn market for a number of years:

![](media/image2.wmf)

![](media/image3.wmf)

The 2003 French sweet corn crop was severely affected by drought and by
a new pest (Heliolithis hermigera, or corn ear worm), which infested 10
percent of the plantings. This pest is usually found in African
countries. The pest favors extreme heat. The abnormal heat and drought
of the summer 2003 favored its development in France. As a result,
French sweet corn production is estimated to shrink 20 percent in 2003.

In France, there are 14 factories canning sweet corn that belong to the
companies Bonduelle, Conserves France, D'Aucy, and Green Giant (Géant
Vert). There are 7 plants freezing sweet corn: Aquitaine Surgelés,
Bonduelle, D'Aucy, and LLS.

## Consumption

## 

In 2002, 68 percent of French households purchased canned sweet corn.
The number of buyers of canned sweet corn increased slightly (0.3%) from
2001 to 2002.

The EU per capita consumption of sweet corn (1.5 kg per year) remains
significantly lower than the U.S. per capita consumption of sweet corn
(2.5 kg per year). However, French per capita consumption is one of the
highest in Europe.

## Trade

France is a net exporter of sweet corn, and exports half of its
production, mainly to Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain. In France
and Europe, French sweet corn competes with U.S., Thai, and Hungarian
products.

In MY 2002/03, French exports of canned sweet corn to Germany, Spain and
Russia declined to the benefit of U.S. and Hungarian exports, due to the
increasingly favorable exchange rate of the U.S. dollar (see report
FR3026, 6/25/03). Similarly, French exports of frozen sweet corn to
Germany declined significantly.

## Marketing

The leading French importers of U.S. sweet corn are the following:

Canned sweet corn: TRIOMPHE/SNAT

105, rue Paul Vaillant Couturier

92300 Levallois-Perret

[monarch@club-internet.fr]{.underline}

Tel: (33-1) 41 27 21 30

Fax: (33-1) 41 27 21 35

Société Soreau

52, rue Molière

94203 Ivry sur Seine

Tel: (33-1) 46 70 10 66

Fax: (33-1) 46 70 28 37

Fresh sweet corn: Unicorn Provence

Campagne Les Aubettes

84120 Pertuis

[Unicorn-provence@wanadoo.fr]{.underline}

Tel: (33-4) 42 61 92 26

Fax: (33-4) 42 61 99 64