Flax, raw or retted production by country
World production of flax, raw or retted reached 1.3 million t in 2024, up 69% over ten years. The largest producers were France (81.9%), Belgium (7.1%), Belarus (2.9%), together 92% of the world total. It was harvested from 281,974 ha, an average yield of 4.6 t/ha.
- World production, 2024
- 1.3 million t
- 10-year change
- +69%
- Producing countries
- 17
- World average yield
- 4.59 t/ha
World production, 1961–2024 (tonnes)
Map of flax, raw or retted production, 2024
Share of the world total. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.
Producers ranked, 2024
| # | Country | Tonnes | Share | 10-year change | Yield, t/ha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 1,059,080 | 81.9% | +104% | 6.7 |
| 2 | Belgium | 91,990 | 7.11% | +26% | 4.9 |
| 3 | Belarus E | 37,225 | 2.88% | −23% | 1.0 |
| 4 | China E | 29,000 | 2.24% | −38% | 4.3 |
| 5 | Russia E | 24,100 | 1.86% | −35% | 0.7 |
| 6 | Netherlands | 19,470 | 1.51% | +89% | 5.5 |
| 7 | United Kingdom E | 14,500 | 1.12% | −3.2% | 1.5 |
| 8 | Egypt E | 7,700 | 0.60% | −1.9% | 0.9 |
| 9 | Chile E | 3,100 | 0.24% | +5.8% | 1.1 |
| 10 | Argentina E | 2,600 | 0.20% | +1.2% | 0.9 |
| 11 | Poland | 1,790 | 0.14% | +3,155% | 2.3 |
| 12 | Italy | 1,450 | 0.11% | +337% | 2.2 |
| 13 | Romania | 770 | 0.06% | — | 3.1 |
| 14 | Taiwan E | 270 | 0.02% | −3.2% | 0.6 |
| 15 | Ukraine E | 140 | 0.01% | −84% | 0.6 |
| 16 | Spain | 70 | 0.01% | +250% | 3.5 |
| 17 | Turkey E | 11 | 0.00% | +175% | 0.8 |
E = estimated by FAO, I = imputed by FAO, X = from an external organisation; other figures are official.
How concentrated is production?
The largest producer, France, accounts for 81.9% of the world total in 2024; the five largest for 96.0% and the ten largest for 99.7%.
| Year | Top 5 share | Top 10 share | Countries with data |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 85.6% | 95.7% | 24 |
| 2005 | 94.1% | 99.1% | 23 |
| 2010 | 93.2% | 99.7% | 23 |
| 2015 | 94.3% | 99.7% | 21 |
| 2020 | 96.1% | 99.7% | 17 |
| 2024 | 96.0% | 99.7% | 17 |
By continent, 2024
| Continent | Production | Share of world | Share in 2014 | 10-year change | Countries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | 1.3 million t | 96.7% | 92.1% | +77% | 11 |
| Asia | 29,281 t | 2.3% | 6.2% | −38% | 3 |
| Africa | 7,700 t | 0.6% | 1.0% | −1.9% | 1 |
| South America | 5,700 t | 0.4% | 0.7% | +3.7% | 2 |
Sums of country figures; the world total also includes countries without a continent assignment, so shares may not add up to 100%.
Fastest growing and declining producers, 2014–2024
Countries with at least 0.5% of world production in 2024, change over ten years.
Growing
| France | 1.1 million t | +104% |
| Netherlands | 19,470 t | +89% |
| Belgium | 91,990 t | +26% |
| Egypt | 7,700 t | −1.9% |
| United Kingdom | 14,500 t | −3.2% |
Declining
| China | 29,000 t | −38% |
| Russia | 24,100 t | −35% |
| Belarus | 37,225 t | −23% |
| United Kingdom | 14,500 t | −3.2% |
| Egypt | 7,700 t | −1.9% |
Area harvested and yields
The world average yield was 4.59 t/ha in 2024.
- Production, 2014–2024
- +69%
- Harvested area
- +39%
- Average yield
- +22%
- World area, 2024
- 281,974 ha
Most of the increase came from a larger harvested area rather than higher yields.
World area harvested, 1961–2024 (hectares)
Highest yields
| Country | Yield, t/ha | vs world |
|---|---|---|
| France | 6.7 | +46% |
| Netherlands | 5.5 | +20% |
| Belgium | 4.9 | +7.3% |
| China | 4.3 | −7.0% |
| United Kingdom | 1.5 | −68% |
Lowest yields
| Country | Yield, t/ha | vs world |
|---|---|---|
| Russia | 0.7 | −84% |
| Egypt | 0.9 | −80% |
| Belarus | 1.0 | −77% |
| United Kingdom | 1.5 | −68% |
| China | 4.3 | −7.0% |
Among countries with at least 0.5% of world production. Yield = production ÷ harvested area; it depends on climate, varieties, irrigation and how the crop is counted, so it is not a measure of efficiency alone.
Long-term trend, 1961–2024
- Average growth per year, 1961–2024
- +1.0%
- Average growth per year, last 10 years
- +5.4%
- Record year
- 2005 1.5 million t
- Largest yearly fall
- 2009 −32%
| Decade | Average per year | vs previous decade |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s (1961–1969) | 750,054 t | — |
| 1970s | 738,473 t | −1.5% |
| 1980s | 766,880 t | +3.8% |
| 1990s | 785,728 t | +2.5% |
| 2000s | 1.1 million t | +36% |
| 2010s | 758,539 t | −29% |
| 2020s (2020–2024) | 949,384 t | +25% |
Production per person, 2024
World production of flax, raw or retted was 0.16 kg per person in 2024. The highest figures, among countries with at least 1 million inhabitants:
| # | Country | kg per person | Production |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 15.9 | 1.1 million t |
| 2 | Belgium | 7.84 | 91,990 t |
| 3 | Belarus | 4.11 | 37,225 t |
| 4 | Netherlands | 1.07 | 19,470 t |
| 5 | United Kingdom | 0.21 | 14,500 t |
| 6 | Russia | 0.17 | 24,100 t |
| 7 | Chile | 0.16 | 3,100 t |
| 8 | Egypt | 0.07 | 7,700 t |
| 9 | Argentina | 0.06 | 2,600 t |
| 10 | Poland | 0.05 | 1,790 t |
Production divided by population (FAOSTAT population estimates, 2024). Production per person is not consumption: countries export, import and use crops for feed, processing and industry.
International trade, 2024
- World exports
- 19,262 t
- Export value
- USD 42.0 m
- Exports as share of production
- 1.5%
- Average export price
- 2.18 USD/kg
France was the largest exporter with 42.5% of the quantity reported by exporting countries; Belgium was the largest importer with 82.8%. World exports grew 220% over ten years.
World exports, 2000–2024 (tonnes)
Largest exporters
| # | Country | Tonnes | Share | Value | USD/kg | 10-year change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 8,183 | 42.5% | USD 7.0 m | 0.86 | — |
| 2 | Egypt | 6,443 | 33.5% | USD 29.6 m | 4.59 | — |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 1,728 | 9.0% | USD 305,000 | 0.18 | +10,700% |
| 4 | Belgium | 1,653 | 8.6% | USD 2.5 m | 1.54 | +156% |
| 5 | Canada | 604 | 3.1% | USD 490,000 | 0.81 | −88% |
| 6 | Lithuania | 241 | 1.3% | USD 782,000 | 3.24 | — |
| 7 | Netherlands | 112 | 0.6% | USD 67,000 | 0.60 | — |
| 8 | India | 104 | 0.5% | USD 598,000 | 5.75 | +10,300% |
| 9 | Russia | 81 | 0.4% | USD 57,000 | 0.70 | — |
| 10 | Romania | 79 | 0.4% | USD 282,000 | 3.57 | — |
Largest importers
| # | Country | Tonnes | Share | Value | USD/kg | 10-year change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium | 23,789 | 82.8% | USD 19.4 m | 0.82 | +122% |
| 2 | Lithuania | 1,234 | 4.3% | USD 733,000 | 0.59 | — |
| 3 | France | 1,123 | 3.9% | USD 877,000 | 0.78 | +12,378% |
| 4 | Italy | 586 | 2.0% | USD 2.7 m | 4.56 | +304% |
| 5 | Egypt | 426 | 1.5% | USD 2.9 m | 6.78 | — |
| 6 | Austria | 383 | 1.3% | USD 69,000 | 0.18 | +4,688% |
| 7 | Netherlands | 356 | 1.2% | USD 624,000 | 1.75 | −50% |
| 8 | China | 143 | 0.5% | USD 198,000 | 1.38 | — |
| 9 | United Kingdom | 130 | 0.5% | USD 61,000 | 0.47 | +12,900% |
| 10 | Estonia | 120 | 0.4% | USD 434,000 | 3.62 | +11,900% |
FAOSTAT detailed trade data (Crops and livestock products trade, release of 23 July 2026): quantities in tonnes and values in current US dollars as reported by countries; exports include re-exports. Shares are of the total reported by all exporting or importing countries. World exports and imports do not match because of timing, valuation (exports FOB, imports CIF) and gaps in reporting. Processed products such as juices, dried or canned goods are separate items.
Questions and answers
Which country produces the most flax, raw or retted?
France was the largest producer in 2024 with 1.1 million t, 81.9% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.
What is the world production of flax, raw or retted?
World production was 1.3 million t in 2024, +69% compared with 2014.
Which countries produce the most flax, raw or retted?
In 2024: France (1.1 million t, 81.9%), Belgium (91,990 t, 7.1%), Belarus (37,225 t, 2.9%), China (29,000 t, 2.2%), Russia (24,100 t, 1.9%). Together they account for 96.0% of the world total.
What is the average yield of flax, raw or retted?
The world average was 4.59 tonnes per hectare in 2024 (1.3 million t from 281,974 ha harvested).
Which country exports the most flax, raw or retted?
France exported 8,183 t in 2024, 42.5% of reported world exports, worth USD 7.0 m, according to FAOSTAT trade data.
Which country imports the most flax, raw or retted?
Belgium imported 23,789 t in 2024, 82.8% of reported world imports.
Where does this data come from?
Production and area figures are from FAOSTAT, the statistics database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (dataset Crops and livestock products, release of 23 December 2025). Shares, rankings, changes and averages are calculated by Husfarm.
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About the data
- Figures are production in tonnes as reported to or estimated by FAO for each calendar year; the latest year is 2024.
- Letters next to a country mark figures that are not official national data: E estimated by FAO, I imputed by FAO (filled in by a statistical model), X taken from an external organisation. Treat them as approximate.
- Shares are relative to the FAO world total; ten-year changes compare 2024 with 2014; yield is production divided by area harvested; average growth per year is the compound annual rate between the two years.
- Country series on Husfarm start in 2000; the world series starts in 1961.
Download CSV All countries and years: production, area harvested and FAO flag.
How to cite: FAO (2025). FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products — Flax, raw or retted. Retrieved via Husfarm, https://husfarm.com/production/flax/. Licence CC BY 4.0.
Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products. Accessed on 4 November 2026. fao.org/faostat. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Charts, rankings and changes calculated by Husfarm.