Insee Focus · April 2022 · n° 266

France is the second largest producer of essential oils in the E.U.

France is the second European producer of essential oils. Over the past ten years, French production has grown sharply, with sales rising by 47% between 2010 and 2020. The French trade balance for essential oils recorded a surplus of 119 million euros in 2020. France's main customer is Germany, while its biggest supplier by far is Switzerland. Most of the sector's workforce is concentrated in the South-East, with over 4,000 jobs in the Cannes and Grasse employment area.