Between 2008 and 2018, global strawberry production increased by 39.4%. That's according to figures released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Global strawberry production
China, in particular, is growing more strawberries. In 2008, Chinese farmers produced 1,9 million tons of these fruits. In 2018, this had increased to 3 million tons. Other countries also saw their production grow significantly. Mexico went from 207,500 tons in 2008 to 653,640 tons in 2018.
And in Turkey, growers cultivated 261,000 tons of strawberries in 2008. By 2018, that had increased to 441,000 tons. The US grows the second-most strawberries in the world. They, however, haven't seen a sharp increase in production.
Chinese strawberry production (in red) vs. the US (in blue) between 2008 and 2018.
In Europe, Spain grows the most strawberries. With more than 281,00 tons in 2008, that country was still ahead of other countries. These included Egypt, Turkey, and Mexico. This volume had risen to almost 345,000 tons by 2018. But, that growth wasn't as spectacular as in the mentioned countries.
The US's yield/hectare, however, remains the highest. In 2014 and 2015, this also rose significantly in Spain. But, since that season, strawberry yields in that country have gradually dropped again. Mexico's yield/hectare is on the rise. But Turkey and Egypt are clearly considering expanding their acreage.
Source: FaoStat