Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
T A B L E 4.2. World Production of Selected Vegetables for 2005 (ha)
Vegetable
Philippines
Ecuador
United States
Asparagus
1,600
402
21,850
Beans, green
3,000
17,533
15,870
Cabbages
7,500
1,593
87,000
Carrot
0
4,185
40,010
Cantaloupe and other melons
1,300
1,426
45,500
Cucumber and gherkins
1,500
339
69,150
Eggplant
21,000
0
2,150
Lettuce
0
1,584
131,320
Onion and shallots
0
11,995
55,200
Pea, green
9,000
8,290
85,590
Pumpkin, squash, gourds
8,500
1,717
40,190
Tomato
17,000
7,595
166,670
Watermelon
5,500
3,010
55,200
Source: Abstracted from http://faostat.fao.org/faostat.
middle or Visayas region of the Philippines, other areas, particularly in the north, eat
more vegetables and indeed have a local vegetable dish called pinakbit, which is
eaten everyday.
Figure 4.3 shows the major vegetable-producing areas of the Philippines,
Ecuador, and the United States. These are the major commercial areas of vegetable
production and all production is mechanized. Most operations are carried out using
tractors, tractor-mounted sprayers and harvesters, and the like. Significant vegetable
production occurs in other areas of all the countries. In the United States vegetables
are grown on farms in smaller quantities, and this production is also available locally
and regionally. Table 4.2 shows the area, in hectares, devoted to selected vegetable
production in each country (vegetables not grown in at least two of the countries
are not shown).
4.3
IMPORTANCE OF VEGETABLES IN WORLD TRADE
Vegetables represent a small portion of the world's total food production. Less than
2 percent of food produced is vegetables. Partly this reflects the fact the vegetables
are often grown in small areas and gardens for family consumption and often sold
in small quantities locally. Because of this, these vegetables do not get counted in
compiling world vegetable production. However, vegetables are important in
diets around the world as part of peoples food intake and in terms of nutrition they
contribute to the diet.
In world terms only 30 countries are major producers of vegetables, and these rep-
resent only 16 percent of the world's countries, not including territories, colonies, and
