PURPOSE: To obtain an alkyl fluorobenzoate useful as a production intermediate of pharmaceuticals, plant protecting agents, or the like, efficiently, in high purity and in high yield by reacting a fluorobenzoyl chloride and an alkali metal alcoholate under a specific condition.

CONSTITUTION: This alkyl fluorobenzoate represented by formula II is obtained by reacting a fluorobenzoyl chloride represented by formula I, (wherein Fn is a 1 to 4 fluorine), and at least stoichiometric amount of an alkali metal alcoholate; ROM, (wherein R is an alkyl; and M is Li, Na or K) in the corresponding alcohol; ROH at a temperature of -10 to 150°C, optionally distilling off the solvent, and separating off the formed alkali metal chloride through treating the mixture with water or filtration. In is preferable that the concentration of the alkali metal alcoholate in the alcohol is from 20 to 40 wt.%, and that 1.0 to 1.5 moles of the alcoholate is used per 1 mole of the acid chloride.