While an astounding 86 million tons of apples were grown worldwide in 2022, nearly every second one came from a single country, revealing a surprisingly lopsided global orchard.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, global apple production reached 86.1 million metric tons, a 1.4% increase from 2021
- China produced 44.5 million metric tons of apples in 2022, accounting for 51.7% of global output
- The United States harvested 4.69 million metric tons of apples in 2022/23 marketing year
- In 2022, China exported 1.2 million metric tons of apples, valued at $1.8 billion
- US apple exports reached 1.1 million metric tons in 2022/23, worth $1.2 billion
- Poland exported 1.05 million metric tons of apples in 2022/23, primarily to EU markets
- In 2022, per capita apple consumption in the US was 17.5 pounds fresh weight
- China's per capita apple consumption reached 35 kg in 2022
- EU average per capita apple consumption was 17 kg in 2022
- The global apple market was valued at $90 billion in 2022
- US apple industry generated $15 billion in farm cash receipts in 2022
- China's apple sector contributed $50 billion to GDP in 2022 est.
- Fuji variety accounted for 65% of Japan's apple production in 2022
- Gala apples represented 20% of US production in 2022/23
- Poland's top variety Idared 25% of output in 2022
China dominates global apple production while worldwide trade and consumption steadily increase.
Consumption Statistics
- In 2022, per capita apple consumption in the US was 17.5 pounds fresh weight
- China's per capita apple consumption reached 35 kg in 2022
- EU average per capita apple consumption was 17 kg in 2022
- Global per capita apple availability was 10.6 kg in 2022
- US total apple consumption was 26 pounds per capita including processed in 2022
- Poland's per capita consumption hit 22 kg in 2022, highest in EU
- Japan's apple consumption per capita was 9 kg in 2022
- India consumed 1.9 kg per capita apples in 2022
- Russia per capita apple intake was 12 kg in 2022
- Brazil's apple consumption grew to 5.5 kg per capita in 2022
- Fresh apple consumption in the US declined 2% to 4.69 million tons in 2022/23
- Processed apple products consumption in US was 9.5 billion pounds in 2022
- 60% of US apples consumed as fresh market in 2022
- EU fresh apple consumption totaled 7.8 million tons in 2022
- China's domestic apple consumption was 43 million tons in 2022
- Apple juice consumption globally was 2.5 million tons in 2022
- Organic apple consumption in EU grew 15% to 800,000 tons in 2022
- US household apple purchases averaged 40 pounds per year in 2022
- Turkey per capita apple consumption was 18 kg in 2022
- Global apple snack consumption (slices, etc.) reached 1 billion servings daily in 2022 est.
- France consumed 19 kg per capita apples in 2022
- Germany's apple intake was 16 kg per capita in 2022
- UK per capita consumption 13 kg in 2022
- Mexico consumed 8 kg per capita in 2022
- South Korea imported apples consumption 7 kg per capita in 2022
Consumption Statistics Interpretation
While Americans only nibble on 17.5 pounds of fresh apples a year, China crunches through a whopping 35 kg, proving that keeping a global doctor away requires a distinctly different apple-per-day dosage.
Economic Value Statistics
- The global apple market was valued at $90 billion in 2022
- US apple industry generated $15 billion in farm cash receipts in 2022
- China's apple sector contributed $50 billion to GDP in 2022 est.
- EU apple production value was €12 billion in 2022
- Poland's apple industry exports generated €1.2 billion in 2022/23
- Washington State apple industry economic impact was $8.7 billion in 2022, supporting 156,000 jobs
- Global apple processing market value $25 billion in 2022
- US fresh apple retail value $12 billion in 2022
- Turkey apple exports revenue $600 million in 2022
- Chile apple industry farmgate value $1.1 billion in 2022/23
- New Zealand pipfruit industry $1 billion export value in 2022
- India apple market size $2.5 billion in 2022
- Global organic apple market $4.5 billion in 2022, growing 10% YoY
- US apple storage and packing costs averaged $0.25 per pound in 2022
- Average US apple farm price $0.42 per pound in 2022/23
- Poland apple grower prices €0.55/kg in 2022 peak season
- Global apple wholesale prices averaged $1.10/kg in 2022
- China domestic apple prices ranged 4-8 RMB/kg in 2022
- EU apple retail prices €2.20/kg average in 2022
- US consumer price index for apples rose 5% in 2022
- Apple industry employed 2.5 million people globally in 2022 est.
- Washington apple harvest labor force 25,000 workers in 2022
- Global apple R&D investment $500 million annually avg. 2022
Economic Value Statistics Interpretation
While the world's favorite forbidden fruit has become a $90 billion behemoth keeping millions employed, every crisp, storied bite from orchard to table represents a complex, and often surprisingly narrow, economic squeeze between razor-thin farm margins and rising consumer costs.
Export and Import Statistics
- In 2022, China exported 1.2 million metric tons of apples, valued at $1.8 billion
- US apple exports reached 1.1 million metric tons in 2022/23, worth $1.2 billion
- Poland exported 1.05 million metric tons of apples in 2022/23, primarily to EU markets
- Turkey's apple exports were 450,000 tons in 2022, valued at $500 million
- Italy exported 240,000 tons of apples in 2022
- Chile exported 650,000 tons of apples in 2022/23 to 50 countries
- New Zealand apple exports totaled 170,000 tons in 2022, valued at NZ$300 million
- South Africa exported 500,000 tons of apples in 2022, mainly to Europe
- EU imported 1.3 million tons of apples from non-EU countries in 2022
- US imported 1.2 million tons of apples in 2022/23, mostly from Chile
- China's apple imports were 300,000 tons in 2022, primarily from Chile and New Zealand
- India's apple imports reached 700,000 tons in 2022, valued at $400 million
- Russia imported 800,000 tons of apples in 2022, from Turkey and Poland
- Mexico exported 150,000 tons of apples to the US in 2022
- Global apple trade volume was 8.5 million tons in 2022
- Top apple export destination: EU countries imported 2.5 million tons in 2022
- Apple export prices averaged $1,200 per ton globally in 2022
- Poland's apple exports to Ukraine surged 50% to 200,000 tons in 2022
- US apple exports to Mexico grew 15% to 250,000 tons in 2022/23
- Chile's apple shipments to Asia reached 100,000 tons in 2022
- Turkey exported 70% of its apples to Russia and Middle East in 2022
- Global fresh apple exports value hit $10.2 billion in 2022
- EU apple intra-trade was 4.2 million tons in 2022
- China's processed apple exports (juice, etc.) were 1.5 million tons equivalent in 2022
- World apple import growth rate was 3.2% annually from 2018-2022
Export and Import Statistics Interpretation
While China's massive export volume may technically crown them the world's apple king, the sheer gravitational pull of the European market—devouring both its own harvest and a mountain of imports—proves the true global power lies not in who grows the most, but in who holds the biggest, shiniest apple basket.
Production Statistics
- In 2022, global apple production reached 86.1 million metric tons, a 1.4% increase from 2021
- China produced 44.5 million metric tons of apples in 2022, accounting for 51.7% of global output
- The United States harvested 4.69 million metric tons of apples in 2022/23 marketing year
- Turkey's apple production was 4.1 million metric tons in 2022, up 6% year-over-year
- Poland produced 3.8 million metric tons of apples in 2022, making it Europe's top producer
- India's apple output stood at 2.4 million metric tons in 2022, primarily from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu Kashmir
- Russia harvested 1.8 million metric tons of apples in 2022
- France produced 1.7 million metric tons in 2022, with a focus on dessert varieties
- Italy's apple production reached 2.4 million metric tons in 2022, led by Trentino-Alto Adige region
- Iran yielded 1.6 million metric tons of apples in 2022
- The European Union's total apple production was 12.5 million metric tons in 2022/23
- Washington State, USA, produced 6.7 billion pounds of apples in 2022, 64% of US total
- New York State apple production was 1.4 billion pounds in 2022
- Global apple yield per hectare averaged 18.5 tons in 2022
- China's apple yield reached 25.6 tons per hectare in 2022, highest globally
- US apple yield was 21.4 tons per hectare in 2022/23
- Poland's yield stood at 28.2 tons/ha in 2022
- Apple harvested area worldwide was 4.7 million hectares in 2022
- China's apple cultivation area expanded to 2.1 million hectares in 2022
- US apple bearing acreage was 247,000 hectares in 2022
- In 2022, organic apple production in the US reached 180 million pounds
- Global apple production forecast for 2023/24 is 83 million metric tons, down 4%
- Turkey's 2023 apple crop estimated at 4.3 million tons
- EU apple production in 2023/24 projected at 11.2 million tons
- Chile's apple production hit 800,000 tons in 2022/23
- South Africa's apple output was 971,000 tons in 2022
- Brazil produced 1.2 million tons of apples in 2022
- Japan's apple production was 700,000 tons in 2022, dominated by Fuji variety
- Uzbekistan harvested 1.5 million tons in 2022
- Global apple production value estimated at $85 billion in 2022
Production Statistics Interpretation
The global apple industry presents a deliciously lopsided affair, where China juggles more than half the world's harvest with impressive efficiency, while the rest of the planet politely vies for slices of a $85 billion pie that, ironically, seems to be slightly shrinking this year.
Variety and Yield Statistics
- Fuji variety accounted for 65% of Japan's apple production in 2022
- Gala apples represented 20% of US production in 2022/23
- Poland's top variety Idared 25% of output in 2022
- Global Honeycrisp acreage grew 15% to 50,000 ha by 2022
- Red Delicious share in US declined to 35% in 2022 from 50% in 2010
- China's Qiuzi red apple variety yield 40 tons/ha in 2022 trials
- EU Golden Delicious production 1.2 million tons in 2022
- Pink Lady trademarked apples global volume 300,000 tons in 2022
- US organic Gala yield averaged 25 tons/acre in 2022
- Turkey's Granny Smith exports 100,000 tons in 2022, yield 30 t/ha
- Braeburn variety in New Zealand 15% of production, yield 50 t/ha in 2022
- Global club apple varieties (Jazz, etc.) 500,000 tons in 2022
- Honeycrisp average price $45/box in US 2022, yield 35 bins/acre
- Poland's Champion variety new planting 10,000 ha by 2022
- Italy's Gala yield 45 t/ha in South Tyrol 2022
- Chile's Fuji production 200,000 tons, yield 55 t/ha irrigated
- US Pacific Rose yield data 40 t/ha in 2022 trials
- Organic apple yields globally 70% of conventional at 15 t/ha avg. 2022
- Ambrosia variety Canadian origin 50,000 tons global 2022
- South Africa Cripps Pink (Pink Lady) 150,000 tons, yield 45 t/ha 2022
Variety and Yield Statistics Interpretation
While the data confirms Fuji's dominance in Japan and a global march towards premium, branded apples, it also reveals a bittersweet truth: our quest for perfect crunch and color is reshaping orchards worldwide, leaving older varieties like Red Delicious to quietly wither on the vine.
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