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Fruits

Fruits are defined as a product of vegetable growth edible to humans, such as the developed ovary of a seed plant with its contents and accessory parts, which includes the pea, pod, nut, tomato and pineapple. A fruit may also be the edible part of a plant developed from a flower with its accessory parts, such as the apple, lemon and peach. The most popular fresh fruits in the United States are (in order): Bananas, apples, oranges, grapes and strawberries.

In 2010, U.S. production of noncitrus fruits reached 17.0 million tons, down 6 percent from 2009. The value of the crop totaled $11.9 billion, slightly lower than 2009. Bigger blueberry, peach, plum and strawberry crops contributed to the increase in noncitrus production.  (NASS 2011)

The U.S. citrus crop for the 2009 season totaled 10.9 million tons, 8 percent smaller than the 2008 season. Florida accounted for 65 percent of total U.S. citrus production, California produced 31 percent, and Texas and Arizona produced the remaining 4 percent.

Orange production dropped 18 percent in Florida but rose 22 percent in California and 12 percent in Texas. Lemon production, on the other hand, declined 2 percent in California and 27 percent in Arizona. Grapefruit production was down 6 percent in Florida and 13 percent in Calfiornia but up 2 percent in Texas.

The value of the 2009 U.S. citrus crop increased 5 percent from last season, to $2.9 billion. Even though U.S. citrus production was lower than last season, higher prices for the majority of the citrus crops pushed crop values up.  (NASS 2011)

Sources
Citrus Fruits: 2011 Summary, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), USDA, 2011.
Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts, NASS, USDA, 2011.

 

 

Related Links

Table 5. Organic Fruit and Tree Nuts Harvested from Certified and Exempt Organic Farms: 2008, 2008 Organic Production Survey, National Ag Statistics Service (NASS), USDA, 2010.

Table 6. Organic Berries Harvested from Certified and Exempt Organic Farms: 2008, 2008 Organic Production Survey, NASS, USDA, 2010.

Fruits and Nuts: 2007 and 2002, 2007 Census of Agriculture - State Data, NASS, USDA, 2009.

Berries: 2007 and 2002, 2007 Census of Agriculture - State Data, NASS, USDA, 2009.

 

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