Due to poor harvests and a brisk global demand, the price of flax (the agricultural product used to make linen) has soared, making business related to flax difficult in recent years. In Japan, the weak yen has also led to a shrinking consumer market. It seems that many apparel brands have skipped linen products for the 2013 spring/summer season.
Amidst all this, there is good news that last year's harvest in European growing areas, particularly in northern France, was good, with the expected quantities ultimately secured and prices beginning to decline.
The following is an excerpt from the Alliance for Linen and Hemp report (February 3, 2013).
You can see future trends.
- The cultivated area of European producing areas in 2024 will be the largest ever.
・Production volume is expected to be around 18,000 tons per month from January to June 2025. Production volume in the first half of 2025 will approach the highest level ever.
・In response to this situation, the price of flax raw materials is entering a period of price adjustment.
The price trend since last year has been that prices will peak at an average of around €9 per kg in spring 2024, then remain stable through the summer at an average of €9 per kg before beginning to decline, however this decline was relatively gradual at first, before accelerating in the autumn.
A survey by the Alliance for Linen and hemp put the average price at 6.78 euros/kg in October and 5.23 euros/kg in November. The average price in October was 6.78 euros/kg, in November 5.23 euros/kg, and in December 2024 was 3.96 euros/kg.
The area under cultivation for 2025 has not yet been determined, but is expected to increase slightly. Early sowing (winter linen) will expand, with 30,000 hectares expected in the same production area (contributing to the yield).
A more detailed outlook for the total cultivated area will be available in spring 2025.
(End of excerpt)
