Aubergine was cultivated in China and India in the Vth century, but it was not introduced in Southern Europe until the XIIth century. The producing countries comprise the Mediterranean area, China and Japan.
The world-wide production in 2000 totalled 21,987,062 t. During the previous year the production obtained was practically the same (21,237 t), distributed by continents as follows:
Continent | Thousand tons |
---|
Africa | 805 |
Asia | 19,638 |
Europe | 681 |
North America | 106 |
Oceania | 1 |
South America | 6 |
Total | 21,237 |
Source: Fresh Produce Deskbook 2001 (1999)
The chief producers are:
Country | Tons |
---|
China | 11,908,523 |
India | 6,100,000 |
Turkey | 850,000 |
Egypt | 562,000 |
Japan | 458,800 |
Italy | 318,755 |
The Philippines | 180,100 |
Spain | 135,000 |
Syria | 128,000 |
Sudan | 110,000 |
Source: FAOSTAT Database Results (2000) (
http://www.fao.org )
The main producing country is China (11,908,523 t), followed by India with 6,100,000 t. Spain occupies the eighth place in the world-wide ranking of aubergine production, totalling 135,000 t.
159,705 tons are imported world-wide, according to data of the FAO in1999. The main import countries were in the first place the United States of America, followed by France. The ten first world-wide importers are shown in the following table:
Country | Tons |
---|
The United States of America | 32,427 |
France | 29,468 |
Germany | 23,318 |
Canada | 11,760 |
United Kingdom | 10,194 |
Lebanon | 8,200 |
Russia | 4,360 |
Kuwait | 4,336 |
The Netherlands | 4,284 |
Singapore | 4,010 |
Source: FAOSTAT Database Results (1999) (
http://www.fao.org )
Spain imported in 1999 ninety tons that amounted to 92 thousand dollars.
The world imports in 1999 amounted to 131,437 thousand dollars. Germany was the country with greater money investment in imports, followed by the United States of America and France. The following table includes the ten first countries with greater capital contribution in imports.
Country | Thousand dollars |
---|
Germany | 25,048 |
The United States of America | 24,710 |
France | 23,088 |
United Kingdom | 13,841 |
Canada | 8,238 |
The Netherlands | 4,134 |
Switzerland | 3,712 |
Japan | 3,424 |
Austria | 2,900 |
Sweden | 2,300 |
Source: FAOSTAT Database Results (1999) (
http://www.fao.org )
In 1999, 223,489 tons of aubergines were exported world-wide according to data of the FAO. The main exporters are in the first place Mexico, Spain and the Netherlands. The ten first export countries are included in the table below:
Country | Tons |
---|
Mexico | 48,003 |
Spain | 47,439 |
The Netherlands | 35,186 |
China | 16,502 |
Jordan | 15,961 |
Iran | 18,124 |
The United States of America | 11,052 |
Italy | 4,496 |
Malaysia | 4,354 |
Dominican Republic | 3,611 |
Source: FAOSTAT Database Results (1999) (
http://www.fao.org )
Spain exported in 1999 forty seven thousand four hundred and thirty nine tons, which places it in the 2nd position of the world exports. These amounted to 35,445 thousand dollars.
World-wide exports in 1999 amounted to 146,500 thousand dollars. Spain was the second country with greater economical contribution in exports. The following table shows the ten first countries with greater capital investment in exports.
Country | Thousand dollars |
---|
The Netherlands | 41,294 |
Spain | 35,445 |
Mexico | 32,295 |
The United States of America | 8,047 |
Italy | 4,877 |
Korea | 3,457 |
France | 2,894 |
Jordan | 2,973 |
Turkey | 1,668 |
Dominican Republic | 1,261 |
Source: FAOSTAT Database Results (1999) (
http://www.fao.org )
In Spain there is a total surface of 3,463 ha intended for aubergine production, which in 1999 amounted to 131,191 t. The production estimated in 1999 by communities was as follows:
Area | Hectares | Tons |
---|
Andalucía | 1,896 | 88,982 |
Cataluña | 429 | 11,194 |
Castilla-La Mancha | 262 | 7,304 |
Comunidad Valenciana | 278 | 6,260 |
Baleares | 242 | 6,028 |
Murcia | 143 | 4,270 |
Extremadura | 60 | 3,800 |
Others | 153 | 3,353 |
TOTAL | 3,463 | 3,353 |
Source: La Horticultura Española (2001)
SECH, Sociedad Española de Ciencias Hortícolas.