Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
species that are well documented for the outside world continues to expand
(Fritsch and Friesen, 2002). Domestication of wild plants is still continuing; for
example, in the Tien Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and
Kazakhstan, local residents sometimes transplant the large-bulbed and pungent
endangered species
A. pskemense
to their gardens. The demand for novel and
'gourmet' products can drive the selection and development of new crops from
wild or backyard cultivated species, for example, the cultivation of
A. ursinum
is
being investigated in Switzerland. In addition, formerly cultivated types may
cease to be cultivated or shrink in importance, e.g. the pearl onion type of
A.
ampeloprasum
in Europe. Table 1.3 lists the allium species reported to be
cultivated or collected in localized parts of the world.
Edible alliums are important crops worldwide. Based on FAO statistics for mean
production, and using mean export prices as a measure of the relative values of
different crops, averaged over the years 2002-2004 the value of world edible
allium production was about 21% of world tomato production, 54% of world
brassica production and 120% of world barley production (FAO, 2007). As
regards international trade, edible alliums account for about 49% of the value of
tomatoes, 186% that of cabbages plus cauliflowers and 66% that of barley as an
average over the years 2002-2004. About 46% of the value of international
trade in alliums is for dry bulb onions, 31% for garlic, 13% for green onions and
shallots and 10% for leeks and others. The average value of international trade
in alliums for the years 2002-2004 was US$2167 million, and the total weight
of alliums traded was 6.7 million t. The weight of alliums in international trade
represents only about 9% of total production. Averaged over the years
2002-2004, world productions in millions of tonnes were 54.2 for dry bulb
onions, 13.4 for garlic and 4.4 for green onions plus shallots and, averaged for
the years 2003-2005, 1.78 for leeks and others (FAO, 2007).
World dry bulb onion production increased 2.34 times between 1978 and
2002, whereas population increased 1.45 times. The area under cultivation
increased by a factor of 1.9 to 2.95 million ha in this interval, and world average
yields increased from 14.04 to17.4 t/ha. Onion export prices increased only
from US$191 to 226/t between 1977 and the 2002-2004 mean price, a fall in
real terms if inflation is accounted for. The changes for garlic are more dramatic
- production increased steadily by a factor of 3.08 between 1978 and 2002. The
area under cultivation increased by 1.92 times to 1.12 million ha and world
average yields increased 1.6 times to 11.2 t/ha. Export prices were US$794/t in
1977, and US$465/t as the 2002-2004 mean.
Bulb onions are produced from the subarctic regions of northern Finland to
the humid tropics, although they are best adapted to production in subtropical
and temperate areas. Many populous, developed countries - e.g. Germany, the
