World Fruit Production Up 1.6%

VANCOUVER - Jan 5/05 - SNS -- International fruit production rose 1.6% in 2004, according to the latest crop production data assembled by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Total output during the calendar year was pegged at 497.4 million metric tons (MT) of the major classes of fruits, up from 489.7 million MT in 2003. This marks the fourth consecutive annual increase in international fruit production levels.

The FAO data reveals bananas are the most important fruit produced in the world, with output inching upward 103,000 MT to 70.63 million MT in 2004. It was follows by grapes, with production rising over 3 million MT to 65.5 million in 2004.

Oranges are the third most widely grown fruit in the world, with output in 2004 rising roughly 2.4 million MT to just over 63 million MT. Apple production rose almost 270,000 MT to just over 59 million MT in 2004.

Subscribers can read the full text of the article by Clicking here