There is no substitute for eating fruit to stay healthy, so demand for fruit is rising around the world every year, and production with it. Data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the statistics website Statista show that world fruit production grew by about 28 per cent between 2010 and 2023. In 2023 the world produced at least 952 million tonnes of fruit, and output was about the same the following year.

Which fruits make up the largest share of that output? Here is a list of the world's top fruits.

Bananas outstrip every other fruit by volume. According to the FAO, the world produced about 139 million tonnes of bananas in 2023. It is one of the main farm products in many countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Watermelon is the world's second most produced fruit, with about 105 million tonnes in 2023. This popular summer fruit is grown widely in China, India, Turkey and various African countries, and because it is so watery, demand for it is rising in many parts of the world.

Apples are third, with about 97 million tonnes produced in 2023. China has long been one of the top apple producers, and European and North American countries also produce significant quantities.

Grapes come fourth. About 72 million tonnes were produced worldwide in 2023. Besides being eaten fresh, grapes are made into juice, raisins and various processed products.

According to the FAO, the orange is the world's fifth most produced fruit, with about 70 million tonnes in 2023. It is one of the world's most popular citrus fruits, and as an important source of vitamin C it is always in demand.

Annual world production of mangoes, guavas and mangosteens together is about 62.2 million tonnes. Tangerines and mandarins, both orange-type fruits, come to about 51.9 million tonnes a year.

The pineapple is also among the world's most produced fruits; the Bengali text gives its annual output in mixed units, as roughly 29.3 million tonnes.

The list closes with two more fruit groups, which the report does not name, at about 28.2 million and 27.9 million tonnes a year; the main producers of the latter are China and Italy.

Because of its nutritional value, easy availability and relatively low price, the banana is in demand all year round, and so it holds on to the top spot in production too.

The figures come from the FAO and Statista.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.