Its origin is somewhat uncertain. It is thought to be native to Asia, from where it would have been introduced into Europe in the very old times (Roman and Greek references).

The world-wide production amounts to 4.314.000 t, distributed by continents in the following way:

Continent	Thousand tons
Africa	311
Asia	2,590
Europe	1,030
North America	253
Oceania	53
South America	77
Total	4,314

Source: FAO Production Yearbook (1998)

The chief producing countries are:

Country	Thousand tons
China	1,200 (*) F
Turkey	450
India	400F
Spain	250
Egypt	210F
Italy	193
The USA	152F
France	115F
Thailand	85F
The Netherlands	80F

Source: FAO Production Yearbook (1998)
(*) F: Value estimated by the FAO

The main producer is China (1,200,000 t) and Spain occupies the fourth place in the world-wide ranking of French bean production, totalling 250,000 t. 86% of the production is intended for consumption in fresh, 76% for the domestic market and 10% outside Spain. France is the main buyer, followed by the Netherlands and Germany.

247,562 tons are imported world-wide, according to data from 1999 of the FAO. The main import countries are, in the first place, Belgium and Luxembourg, followed by France and the Netherlands. The ten first world-wide importers are shown in the following table:

Country	Tons
Belgium-Luxembourg	44,719
France	36,128
The Netherlands	25,261
United Kingdom	25,225
The USA	24,031
Canada	20,623
Germany	17,790
Spain	7,433
Singapore	6,478
Italy	6,302

Source: Faostat Database Results (1999) ( http://www.fao.org )

Spain imported in 1999 seven thousand four hundred and thirty three tons, placed in the 8th position of the world-wide imports.

The world-wide imports in 1999 amounted to 289,862 thousand dollars. France was the country with greater economical contribution in its imports, followed by the United Kingdom and the United States. The following table includes the ten first countries with greater capital contribution in their imports.

Country	Thousand dollars
France	60,667
United Kingdom	55,389
The USA	32,037
The Netherlands	31,223
Germany	22,756
Canada	19,201
Belgium-Luxembourg	19,115
Italy	9,557
Spain	4,691
Switzerland	4,388

Source: Faostat Database Results (1999)

Spain occupies the ninth position with 4,691 thousand dollars in imports.

230,425 tons of French beans are exported world-wide according to data of the FAO from 1999. The main exporters are, in the first place, France, the United States and the Netherlands. The ten first world-wide exporters appear in the following table:

Country	Tons
France	34,941
The USA	33,586
The Netherlands	26,717
Spain	24,330
Mexico	18,903
Kenya	18,124
Nigeria	10,942
Jordan	9,090
Malaysia	6,753
Italy	5,872

Source: Faostat Database Results (1999)

Spain exported in 1999 twenty-four thousand three hundred and thirty tons, which places it in the 4th position of the world-wide exports.

World-wide exports in 1999 amounted to 196,210 thousand dollars. Spain was the country with greater economical contribution in its exports, followed by Kenya and the United States. The following table shows the ten first countries with greater capital contribution:

Country	Thousand dollars
Spain	40,930
Kenya	25,511
The USA	24,527
Mexico	18,057
France	16,692
The Netherlands	15,945
United Kingdom	4,165
Nigeria	3,635
Belgium-Luxembourg	3,173
Nicaragua	3,027

Source: Faostat Database Results (1999)

Spain occupies the first position with 40,930 thousand dollars in exports.

In Spain, the total surface dedicated to French bean culture is around 135,087 ha and the production estimated in 1999 by communities was as follows:

Type of beans	Area	Hectares	Tons
Grain Bean	Galicia	40,390	16,917
	Castilla y León	4,732	8,131
	Asturias	2,607	1,873
	Total	52,700	32,400
French bean	Andalucía	9,833	96,530
	Cataluña	1,648	20,754
	La Rioja	1,577	18,998
	Total	21,600	222,700
BEANS TOTAL		135,087	418,303

Source: La Horticultura Española (2001) Sech.