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Tropical fruits

Commodity in focus

Global production of tropical fruits has grown steadily over the past decade, predominantly in response to increasing demand in major producer areas. While tropical fruits play a small role in global agricultural trade in overall quantities, accounting for a mere 3 percent of world agricultural food products exports, their high average export unit value is well above USD 1 000 per tonne and places them as the third most valuable fruit group globally, behind bananas and apples. Trade in tropical fruits generates a substantial income for smallholder producers, as well as significant export earnings for many of the producing countries, thereby contributing to their food security.

Global trade in tropical fruits has expanded to unprecedented heights in recent years, reaching an estimated aggregate export volume of close to 11 million tonnes in 2023. Strong demand growth in key importing countries has led to ample investments in improving productivity and expanding production areas in supplying countries, notably for avocados.

Current releases
Major Tropical Fruits Market Review. Preliminary results 2024
24/12/2024

The Tropical Fruits Market Review Preliminary Results is issued on an annual basis to Members and Observers of the Sub-Group on Tropical Fruits of the...

Minor Tropical Fruits Global Trade Overview 2024
07/11/2024

This report provides a concise evaluation of the latest trends and developments in the global trade of minor tropical fruits as recorded under HS code...

More Publications
Food Outlook - February 2002
04/02/2002

Global cereal output in 2001 is provisionally estimated at 1 880 million tonnes (including rice in milled terms), slightly up from the forecast in December and 1.2 percent up on the previous year. However, with global cereal utilization in 2001/02 still forecast to be well above this level at 1 935 million tonnes, the global cereal stocks will be drawn down significantly.

Food Outlook - December 2001
03/12/2001

Latest information indicates a slightly larger global cereal output in 2001, of 1 870 million tonnes (including rice in milled terms). However, even at this level, production would still be less than the anticipated utilization requirements in 2001/02, leading to a significant draw-down of cereal stocks. While Afghanistan currently faces a grave food supply situation, food emergencies persist in many other countries. World cereal trade in 2001/02 is forecast at 233 million tonnes, unchanged from the previous season’s estimated volume. Stronger demand for wheat and rice would be offset by a reduction in coarse grain trade. International prices for most cereals have changed little since September. Wheat prices have fallen below the previous year’s levels, reflecting relatively large export supplies and slack import demand. Large maize inventories, on top of abundant supplies of feed wheat, continue to weigh on feed grain prices, while new rice crop supplies on the market have kept international rice prices under pressure in the past three months. Total cereal food aid in 2001/02 (July/June) could increase by 1 million tonnes, to 9.5 million tonnes (in grain equivalent), after a sharp drop in the previous season. Latest information puts total shipments in 2000/01 at 8.5 million tonnes, 24 percent smaller than in 1999/2000. Cereal import bills could rise in 2001/02. Should the current forecasts for cereal trade, food aid and prices for 2001/02 materialize, the more vulnerable and food deficit regions could face larger cereal import bills this season than in 2000/01. Global milk output in 2001 is forecast at 585 million tonnes, up 2 percent from the previous year. Although the international dairy market was well-balanced up until mid2001, prices of dairy products have weakened somewhat in recent months due to reduced import demand. Global sugar demand in 2001 is currently forecast to reach 130.7 million tonnes, up by about 2 million tonnes from the previous year, and overtaking annual production, now forecast at 129.4 million tonnes, for the first time in seven years. Although early indications point to a production deficit also in 2002, adequate global stocks are expected to ensure continued market stability throughout 2002.

 

 With around 2 700 species, tropical fruits are not only a source of nutrition, but also of income generation for farmers who produce them for export.
 In global commodity trade, tropical fruits constitute a comparatively new group and since 1970, they have emerged as significant in the international marketplace.
 Export volumes of fresh tropical fruits display the fastest average annual growth rates among internationally traded food commodities.
 Advances in transportation, trade agreements and shifting consumer preferences in favour of these fruits led to trade growth.
 Tropical fruits are highly perishable during production and distribution, and so environmental challenges are among the key obstacles to sustaining production and ensuring that international markets are supplied.
 Increasingly, erratic weather events are a particularly acute challenge to growing tropical fruits because the vast majority are produced on smallholder farms of less than 5 ha where cultivation is highly dependent on rainfall.

 

 

An estimated 99 percent of tropical fruit production originates in developing countries, predominantly in Asia and Latin America and a smaller share in Africa.

 

In most producing zones, tropical fruits continue to be cultivated at the subsistence rather than the commercial level.

 

The combined exports of the four major tropical fruits represent only 5 percent of total production volume, and the remainder is consumed or otherwise utilized domestically.