Source: UC DAVIS RURAL MIGRATION NEWS, 12/18/20


The Romans thought that wild strawberries had medicinal properties, and the French developed modern hybrids in the 1750s from wild varieties found in the Americas. China produced 2.7 million tons of strawberries in 2018, followed by the US with 1.2 million tons, Mexico with 590,000 tons, Spain with 344,000 tons, and Poland with 195,000 tons. The leading exporters of fresh strawberries in 2019 were Spain, which exported $678 million worth of fresh strawberries or a quarter of global exports, Mexico, $580 million, the US, $451 million, the Netherlands, $271 million, and Belgium, $186 million.

Demand for fresh berries has been rising with their perceived health benefits as well as year-round availability and convenient packaging, making berries the highest value fresh produce item sold in US supermarkets. Strawberries accounted for 47 percent of the $6.4 billion in US retail fresh berry sales in 2017, followed by blueberries at 26 percent, raspberries at 14 percent, and blackberries at nine percent.

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