Where Are Most Strawberries Grown

Introduction – California and Florida are the top two strawberry producing states within the U.S., with California producing over 91 percent of the entire strawberry crop (NASS, 2021). Florida, however, produces the majority of the domestic winter strawberry crop (Florida Strawberry Growers Association).

Where are most strawberries grown in the world?

China is the largest strawberry producer in the world with 3,221,557 tonnes production per year. United States of America comes second with 1,021,490 tonnes yearly production.

What is the most consumed fruit in Europe?

Fresh produce consumption remains under pressure in Europe T he outlook for consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables remains under pressure in the European union. These are the conclusions from the latest consumption trends discussed in Freshfel Europe through the review of trends in Member States, covering 75% of the EU population.

1. Despite a very positive momentum for consumption growth, many barriers are severely impacting the move towards a healthier and more sustainable diet for European consumers.
2. The latest findings from the Freshfel Europe Consumption Monitor reveal that the average consumption for fresh produce stands at an average of 364g/capita/day for 2021, a figure that could decline by ca 10% in 2022 once the final data for last year is known.

This is particularly worrying at it stays well below the minimum 400 gr. recommendation of WHO. These figures are driven by the low level of consumption by millennials and the youngest generations, which are tomorrow’s consumers. Under the difficult economic conditions, the consumption among the low-income population is also of particular concern.

• Informing and engaging with consumers to choose healthy, affordable and sustainable diets was identified as a priority not only for Freshfel Europe but also for retailer organisation EuroCommerce and the consumer organisation BEUC who attended the meeting to share their perspectives.
• The economic crisis impacting all Member States following the war in Ukraine and growing protectionism in the world is severely impacting consumer purchasing power and limiting their food expenditure.

In times of crisis, these consumers tend to move towards a less healthy diet, which is perceived to be more energy satisfactory and a cheaper food option. Freshfel Europe General Delegate Philippe Binard underlined, ” Consumers have a basic misperception about fruit and vegetable prices on the shelf in supermarkets.

Fruit and vegetables are the most affordable products and have also undisputed health and environmental assets. Price and value of fresh produce are both very attractive in the food assortment “. He added, ” Compared to other food categories, rises in fruit and vegetable prices have been lower than the average inflation.

A diet with 5 portions a day or half of the plate with fruit and vegetables can be achieved by €1 or €2 per person per day. Comparatively, for public expenditure of social security, the cost of unhealthy diets results to be twice as high of the total food market value, corresponding to €6 trillion € expenditure for social security in the EU according to the World Economic Forum “.

There is a need for the sector to bridge the gap between awareness of the benefits of fresh produce and concrete actions to be undertaken by authorities as well as by consumers. According to Eurostat survey, only 12% of consumers across the EU reach their 5 portions per day and alarmingly 33 % do not eat fruit and vegetables every day.

It is important now to build on the renewed interest of consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic to take time to prepare, cook and eat a wide diversity of fruit and vegetables. Fresh produce has been demonstrated to be an essential segment of the food assortment and is part of the solution to the objectives of the European Green Deal (contribution to carbon neutrality and low CO2 emissions), the Farm to Fork Strategy (move towards a plant diet) and the EU Beating Cancer Plan (preventive role of fruit and vegetables for non-communicable diseases).

• Mr. Binard commented, ” Regretfully, policy makers fail to be coherent in the implementation of these strategies and lack ambition in their measures, which should use fresh produce as an essential driver for success for their strategies “.
• Efficient promotion policy towards generation Y (millennials) and Z as well as education programmes in schools for generation alpha are crucial.

The sector also has an important role to play in accompanying consumers to convert their awareness of the health benefits of fresh produce into concrete eating behaviours. In addition, better communication with consumers on expectations regarding societal concerns, price and image misperception will remain key while providing attractive tastes, diversity and convenience of products.

This is an essential sector’s responsibility to compete with other food categories. The latest consumption trends indicate that consumption levels are in decline. The purchasing power of consumers is under pressure due to inflation and high household energy bills. This is changing purchasing patterns away from premium quality and organic products, towards searching for promotions and discount prices, as well as reducing purchase quantities.

Mr. Binard emphasized, ” In this changing environment it is important to continue to build value for our products despite price becoming the sole priority of consumers. The affordability of fresh produce needs to be reminded to consumers and put in perspective of other food as being a cheap and healthy option.

Consumers will have also to take their share of the rising costs for producers and other stakeholders in the supply chain to guarantee profitability and survival of the essential fruit and vegetable sector,” In 2021, the market size for fresh fruit and vegetables amounted to 75 Mio T out of which comprises 11,6 Mio T in Italy, 11 Mio T in Germany, 10 Mio T in France, 9 Mio T in Spain and 7,2 Mio T in Poland.

The most consumed fruit in Europe are apples, bananas, oranges, tables grapes and peaches/nectarines, while blueberries is the segment that is experiencing the most dynamic growth in many members states such as Germany and Poland. For vegetables, tomatoes, cabbages, carrots, cucumbers and sweet peppers are the most consumed products respectively.

In their review of the latest drivers of consumption, Freshfel Europe members confirmed that price is predominantly influencing the decision of consumers in recent months across Europe and consumers are buying less alimentary items. Mr. Binard further clarified, ” This trend is impacting the frequency and place of buying, where a concentration of purchase is occurring in the beginning of the month along with a reduction of ingredients and items purchased.

Premium labels and organic sales are those segments declining mor e”. Besides, Association members also reconfirmed that consumers remain adamant to buy local and seasonal, are eager to be informed about origin, variety, method of production, sustainable practices and when appropriate preparation or consumption tips.

Freshfel Europe members remain confident that fresh produce consumption can be stimulated in the coming months by building partnerships across the supply chain with all actors, providing quality and affordable products, and giving confidence to retailers to build the share of the category as an essential part of a sustainable and healthy diet for European consumers in 2023.

ENDS Note to the Editors: Freshfel Europe is the European Fresh Produce Association, representing the interests of the fresh fruit and vegetables supply chain in Europe and beyond. Freshfel Europe currently has over 200 members, including both companies and associations.

What is the most produced fruit in Europe?

Where are our fruit and veg produced? In the European Union (EU), over 2.8 million hectares were given over to the production of fruit and berries and a further 2.1 million hectares to the production of vegetables. Spain was the leading EU Member State in terms of production area of fruit in 2016, with 942 000 hectares (or 33.0% of the EU total) devoted to its production, while Italy was the largest producer of vegetables (420 000 hectares, or 19.8%).

• Apples were the most commonly produced fruit in the EU in terms of quantity, with 12.5 million tonnes harvested in 2016 (or almost 25 kg per EU inhabitant).
• Tomatoes were the main vegetable grown (18.5 million tons, or 36 kg per EU inhabitant).
• Apples and cherries from Poland, peaches from Italy and strawberries from Spain Poland harvested more than 1 in every 4 apples produced in the EU last year (with 28.7% of total EU harvested production), ahead of Italy (19.6%) and France (14.5%).

Poland was also the main EU producer of cherries (29.3%), followed by Spain (11.9%), Italy (11.2%), Hungary (9.9%), Romania (8.2%) and Greece (7.9%). Italy (33.9%), Spain (33.6%) and Greece (23.3%) produced together almost all (91%) of the peaches grown in the EU.

The source dataset can be found, Tomatoes from Italy, cucumbers and courgettes from Spain, carrots from Poland

Together, Italy (35.5% of total EU production) and Spain (28.2%) supplied almost two thirds of tomatoes produced in the EU in 2016. These two countries were followed by Portugal (9.1%), Greece (5.5%), the Netherlands (4.8%), Poland (4.7%) and France (4.4%).

1. Three Member States accounted for around two-thirds of the cucumbers harvested in the EU in 2016: Spain (28.1%), Poland (20.4%) and the Netherlands (16.5%).
2. The production of carrots in the EU was more dispersed across Member States, with the top producers in 2016 being Poland (14.7%), the United Kingdom (12.9%), Germany (11.5%), the Netherlands (10.7%), France (10.4%) and Italy (9.5%).

As for courgettes, they were mainly harvested in two Member States: Spain (38.1%) and Italy (36.3%). The source dataset can be found, : Where are our fruit and veg produced?

Which country has sweetest strawberry?

For the sweetest strawberry, visit Baihe 12:04 UTC+8, 2023-02-28 Japan’s “Black Pearl” strawberry is the world’s sweetest and most distinctive and is being introduced in Baihe Town, Qingpu District.12:04 UTC+8, 2023-02-28  Zhu Wanxia Strawberries at Shanghai Lvyan Cooperative

• It’s time to taste the juicy and sweet strawberries that have ripened in Baihe Town, Qingpu District.
• “Black Pearl,” a strawberry variety native to Japan, is widely regarded as the world’s sweetest strawberry.
• It was introduced to Baihe, which is known for its strawberries.
• When not fully ripened, the sweetness of “Black Pearl” can reach 17 percent, and it can exceed 20 percent when fully ripened.
• This strawberry is also resistant to light and rain, as well as powdery mildew and insect pests.
• Baihe introduces a new type of strawberry to plant every year, and the Shanghai Lvyan Cooperative is trying out the “Black Pearl” planting in Qingpu.

The strawberries show healthy growth at cooperatives. Each berry weighs about 25 grams and turns a deep red as it ripens.

1. It has a strong fragrance that lingers in the mouth besides being very tasty.
2. “We did not plant a large amount of the new variety because it is only the first year of introduction, but we have received very positive feedback from the market,” said a cooperative worker surnamed Wang.
3. “The strawberry is primarily sold in gift boxes alongside other strawberries, and a kilogram costs around 360 yuan (US$52),” she added.

Source: SHINE Editor: Cao Qian   Special Reports  : For the sweetest strawberry, visit Baihe

Who exports the most strawberries?

In 2021, Top exporters of Fruit, edible; strawberries, fresh are Spain ($853,100.97K, 316,572,000 Kg), Mexico ($747,478.09K, 182,540,000 Kg), United States ($573,900.82K, 137,501,000 Kg), Netherlands ($366,448.08K, 64,832,700 Kg), European Union ($355,618.43K, 95,769,800 Kg).

Do strawberries grow in Belgium?

Strawberries – Diary of a Brussels Kitchen Garden Growing strawberries – detail Strawberries grow well in the Belgium climate. They are however bothered by pests, particularly slugs. By slightly elevating the plants this can afford some protection. This pot with various openings, sat on top of another pot also enables turning the plants as the season progresses.

Where does Europe get its fruit?

The Netherlands: Distribution hub – The Netherlands is one of the most important countries for foreign suppliers of fresh fruit and vegetables, due to its position in trade and logistics. The country is responsible for 20% of the total value of fresh fruit and vegetables from developing countries.

• The Netherlands and, to a lesser extent, Belgium are important re-exporters of fresh fruit.
• A large share of the 4.6 million tonnes of imported fruit is distributed throughout Europe (see Figure 14).
• Most of the fresh vegetable trade consists of locally grown potatoes, onions and greenhouse vegetables (like tomatoes and bell peppers).

The Netherlands is the main European trade hub for fruit and vegetables from developing countries. The value of Dutch imports from developing countries increased by 38% from 2017 to 2021. From the port of Rotterdam, the main entry point, Dutch and international traders distribute produce to the rest of Europe.

• The highest concentration of fruit and vegetable traders is on the south side of Rotterdam.
• Dutch importers are highly specialised in matching supply and demand.
• When the demand for a specific product changes, trading companies in the Netherlands react accordingly.
• The best chances for marketing most exotic fruits are through the Netherlands.

You should therefore expect this country to be one of your main trading partners. The Netherlands is also the largest importer of organic products. According to the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), 30% (857,000 tonnes) of all organic food imported into the European Union in 2020 was imported by the Netherlands.

Who is the biggest fruit exporter in Europe?

Understanding the European fresh produce import market – Over the last few decades, a large number of developing countries have experienced rapid growth in their exports of fresh fruit and vegetables, developing from traditional tropical fruits such as bananas and pineapples, to include a broader array of fruits and vegetables.

Emerging countries’ competitive characteristics have generally stemmed from a combination of agro-climatic and cost-of-labour advantages, and providing a cost-effective supply of traditional or more exotic vegetables throughout the year. Europe has become one of the top strategic markets for tropical producers.

It is one of the largest, wealthiest and most mature markets, with a population of more than 500 million consumers, who increasingly require year-round availability of fresh produce and with a growing demand for exotic fresh produce. Europe is now responsible for 45% of the global trade value of fresh fruit and vegetables and five of the global top ten importing countries are in Europe.

• Netherlands Centre for Promotion of Imports (CBI) and FRUIT LOGISTICA, the international fresh produce trade fair, have released several reports on the European fruit and vegetable market, revealing who are the biggest producers, importers, and exporters during the last year.
• What are the figures? According to CBI, “the total import value from developing countries increased 38% in five years to 18.2 billion euros in 2018, which is significantly larger than the 3.1 billion euros in imports from developed, non-European countries”.

Europe is becoming more dependent on imports. According to Fresh Plaza, during 2018 the fruit and vegetable imports from non-EU countries grew by 7% in volume and during the last five years that growth has been constant. Fresh fruit has a higher impact on the value of imports than fresh vegetables as Europe is much more self-sufficient in vegetables than in fruit.

United Kingdom: is one of the most relevant markets for developing countries as it is highly dependent on the external supply of fresh F&V. According to CBI, during 2018 at least 40% of the UK’s fresh F&V imports came directly from developing countries, which makes it the second principal destination after the Netherlands. The Netherlands : is the important trade hub for fruit and vegetables, with significant re-exportation of tropical fruits.20% of the F&V from emerging countries enters through the Netherlands to be distributed in Europe. Germany : has the largest import flows in the intra-European fruit and vegetable trade. In 2018, German companies imported a total of 9.2 million tons of F&V, 16% of the combined imports of all European countries. From developing countries, Germany imported 2.4 million tons of F&V and showed particular growth in avocados and blueberries. Belgium: similar to the Netherlands, it also re-exports high volumes of fruit & vegetables. It is currently the main logistics hub for bananas. It accounted for 7% of fresh fruit and vegetables from developing countries.

Who are the top exporters? According to Eurostat, 2019, the fruit and vegetables imported to Europe came from a large number of countries, of which more than 70 developing countries supplied more than 1 million euros each. However, around two-fifths (44.8 %) of the total imported value came from just five countries: the United States (11.9 %), South Africa (8.9 %), Turkey (8.7 %), Morocco (8.2 %) and Costa Rica (7.0 %).

1. The best market opportunities in Europe are in products with rising popularity due to healthy lifestyles and which have insufficient or limited production in Europe.
2. Also, there are opportunities for off-season products or to complement local supply.
3. CBI highlighted a group of countries in developing countries that are experiencing fast growth with distinctive advantages: Peru, South Africa, Morocco, Egypt, India, Mexico and Guatemala.

For instance, Peru and South Africa are strong counter-seasonal exporters and often large-scale producers. Guatemala has exported 134% more in 2018 than five years earlier due to an agreement with Europe, the banana exports combined with high demand products such as avocados, sugar snaps and limes.

Banana: The top imported product to Europe, with around 950,000 tons of bananas from third countries during 2018. Colombia (24.2%), Ecuador (23.2%) and Costa Rica (19.0%). Belgium is the top re-exporter of bananas for Europe. Oranges, The second most imported fruit, with 2.7 million tons, of which 70% came from South Africa and Egypt. The main importing countries are the Netherlands, France and Germany. Pineapples : the third most imported fruit from developing countries, with around 950 million tons during the last year. The main supplier is Costa Rica (83%). The Netherlands is the top re-exporter of pineapple for Europe, but Germany, Italy, UK and Spain are increasingly importing directly. Mangoes : are one of the strongest imported products in the European market. The main exporters are Brazil and Peru (nearly 50%). The Netherlands is the main importer, of which 47% are destined to Germany. Avocados: top exporters are Peru, Chile, Mexico and Kenya, reaching a total of almost 300,000 tons. Avocados surpassed mangoes and pineapples in terms of import value from 2016. Grapes: South Africa (28.9 %), Turkey (18.5 %) and Chile (13.6 %) Fresh strawberries and other berries: New Zealand (18.1 %), Morocco (16.6 %) and Chile (16.1 %). Apples and pears: Chile (30.0 %), South Africa (26.3 %) and New Zealand (22.7 %) Cherries, apricots, plums and peaches : Turkey (35.6 %), South Africa (27.6 %) and Chile (16.3 %).

Top exported vegetables from emerging countries:

Tomato: Morocco (75.2 %) Fresh pulses: Morocco (48.1%) Cabbages: Kenya (45.1%) Cucumbers: Turkey (30.9%) Lettuce: Egypt (24.2%) Onions & garlic: China (27.0%) Carrots: Israel (41.1%)

Who are the major producers of strawberries?

US Strawberry Production and Exports – There are three states that significantly contribute to strawberry production in the US: California, Florida, and North Carolina. The general peak of the California strawberry season usually starts from the third week of May through the end of June.

1. P.54) In Florida, strawberry volumes are generally available from November until April.
2. Meanwhile, strawberry season in North Carolina starts in April, which should last until the end of May.
3. P.55) There is also a huge local demand for organic strawberries in the US.
4. In fact, strawberries are among the top organic products consumed in U.S.

households. Strawberry consumers in the country purchased USD 334 million worth of organic strawberries in 2019, representing a 10.8% increase compared to the year-ago period. (p.26-27) In terms of pricing, organic strawberry prices are lowest during the months of May through August, when farmers in California and Florida are harvesting.

Who is the main strawberry producer?

Favorable climate conditions make the state of California the largest producer of strawberries in the United States.

Who are the biggest strawberry growers?

Wish Farms’ G&D Farms is the largest contiguous strawberry production in North America, with 2,100 acres under management, and 800 acres of planted strawberries and pineberries – 150 of which is organic.