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Courgette, Cucurbita pepo / Cucurbitaceae
Cucurbita pepo was the first type of pumpkin of the genus Cucurbita to be introduced in Europe. Within the species Cucurbita pepo we distinguish two subspecies: ovifera and pepo. Courgettes belong to the latter. The group of courgettes seem to have been selected from the type "cocozelle’ in the south of Europe, spreading afterwards to the rest of tempered regions in the world.
It is difficult to obtain data of cultivated surface and production by countries, since the great majority includes pumpkins and courgettes in the same group. The average of pumpkins and courgettes from the 1995-1997 triennium according to the FAO Yearbook represented a world-wide production of 13,531,000 annual tons. The area cultivated increased in 20% during the same period.
The surface intended for courgette culture in Spain in 1995 was 5,017 ha, meaning a production of 232,326 t. The total surface cultivated has remained more or less invariable, around 5,000 t since 1990, year in which the first statistics for pumpkins and courgettes are differentiated. However, production has shown an increase of 25% in respect with the average yields, mainly due to culture under plastic.
Although imports are scarce and variable from one year to the other, these seem to be gradually increasing. During the period 1990-1994, 225 annual t were imported, mainly from the Netherlands and France.
The last few years have undergone an increase in exports, approximately 100,000 t during the period 1995-2000. These amounts represent 4 and 6% of the total of Spanish vegetables exported. More than 50% of the national export comes from Almería. The main importer is France (60%) followed by the United Kingdom and Germany (13%).
Around 15,059,064 t of pumpkins and other cucurbitaceous fruit and vegetables were produced world-wide in 1999, among which we would include courgettes. The country with greater production was India with 3,350,000 t, followed by China, with 3,331,508 t. Spain occupied the eleventh place in the production ranking, totalling 300,000 t. The following table shows the chief producers of pumpkins and other cucurbitaceous fruit and vegetables (including courgettes).
Source: Faostat (1999).( http://www.fao.org )
In 1999, 556,059 t of pumpkins and other cucurbitaceous fruit and vegetables (courgettes included) were produced world-wide. The UE (European Union) imported during the same year 165,920 t, the USA imported 207,252 t, Japan imported 153,964 t and the rest of the countries totalled 28,923 t.
Guiding data are shown in the following table on the chief import countries in 1999:
Source: Faostat (1999) ( http://www.fao.org )
In 1999, Spanish imports totalled 660 t, placing it below the ten first countries of courgette import in the world.
In 1999, world-wide exports of pumpkins and other cucurbitaceous fruit and vegetables (including courgettes) totalled 601,622 t. The European Union exported, in 1999, 181,325 t, Mexico 293,155 t, New Zealand exported 98,067 t of courgettes and the rest of countries 29,075 t.
The following table shows the chief world-wide countries exporting pumpkins and other cucurbitaceous fruit and vegetables:
Source: Faostat (1999) ( http://www.fao.org )
As shown in the table, Spanish exports are greater than its imports, being in second place of the world-wide ranking of export countries following Mexico, that is the main exporter.
As regard to Spain, the total area intended for courgette culture totals 5,017 ha and the estimated production in 1999 by communities was as follows:
Source: La Horticultura Española (2001) Sech.
Andalucía is the Spanish community with greater courgette production, centred in the province of Almería. The Region of Murcia, Cataluña and Comunidad Valenciana are the rest of Spanish regions with larger production.
It is difficult to obtain data of cultivated surface and production by countries, since the great majority includes pumpkins and courgettes in the same group. The average of pumpkins and courgettes from the 1995-1997 triennium according to the FAO Yearbook represented a world-wide production of 13,531,000 annual tons. The area cultivated increased in 20% during the same period.
The surface intended for courgette culture in Spain in 1995 was 5,017 ha, meaning a production of 232,326 t. The total surface cultivated has remained more or less invariable, around 5,000 t since 1990, year in which the first statistics for pumpkins and courgettes are differentiated. However, production has shown an increase of 25% in respect with the average yields, mainly due to culture under plastic.
Although imports are scarce and variable from one year to the other, these seem to be gradually increasing. During the period 1990-1994, 225 annual t were imported, mainly from the Netherlands and France.
The last few years have undergone an increase in exports, approximately 100,000 t during the period 1995-2000. These amounts represent 4 and 6% of the total of Spanish vegetables exported. More than 50% of the national export comes from Almería. The main importer is France (60%) followed by the United Kingdom and Germany (13%).
Around 15,059,064 t of pumpkins and other cucurbitaceous fruit and vegetables were produced world-wide in 1999, among which we would include courgettes. The country with greater production was India with 3,350,000 t, followed by China, with 3,331,508 t. Spain occupied the eleventh place in the production ranking, totalling 300,000 t. The following table shows the chief producers of pumpkins and other cucurbitaceous fruit and vegetables (including courgettes).
| Country | Tons |
|---|---|
| India | 3,350,000 |
| China | 3,331,508 |
| Ukraine | 1,060,000 |
| Egypt | 648,845 |
| Iran | 500,000 |
| México | 440,000 |
| Argentina | 430,000 |
| Turkey | 390,000 |
| Italy | 363,937 |
| South Africa | 336,552 |
| Spain | 300,000 |
Source: Faostat (1999).( http://www.fao.org )
In 1999, 556,059 t of pumpkins and other cucurbitaceous fruit and vegetables (courgettes included) were produced world-wide. The UE (European Union) imported during the same year 165,920 t, the USA imported 207,252 t, Japan imported 153,964 t and the rest of the countries totalled 28,923 t.
Guiding data are shown in the following table on the chief import countries in 1999:
| Country | Tons |
|---|---|
| The United States of America | 207,252 |
| Japan | 153,964 |
| France | 79,018 |
| Germany | 28,426 |
| United Kingdom | 21,103 |
| The Netherlands | 9,392 |
| Switzerland | 8,809 |
| Kuwait | 7,592 |
| Belgium-Luxembourg | 5,584 |
| Austria | 5,481 |
Source: Faostat (1999) ( http://www.fao.org )
In 1999, Spanish imports totalled 660 t, placing it below the ten first countries of courgette import in the world.
In 1999, world-wide exports of pumpkins and other cucurbitaceous fruit and vegetables (including courgettes) totalled 601,622 t. The European Union exported, in 1999, 181,325 t, Mexico 293,155 t, New Zealand exported 98,067 t of courgettes and the rest of countries 29,075 t.
The following table shows the chief world-wide countries exporting pumpkins and other cucurbitaceous fruit and vegetables:
| Country | Tons |
|---|---|
| Mexico | 293,155 |
| Spain | 132,404 |
| New Zealand | 98,067 |
| Italy | 16,245 |
| Tonga | 15,300 |
| The Netherlands | 15,090 |
| France | 13,961 |
| Morocco | 6,936 |
| Dominican Republic | 2,212 |
| Saudi Arabia | 1,464 |
Source: Faostat (1999) ( http://www.fao.org )
As shown in the table, Spanish exports are greater than its imports, being in second place of the world-wide ranking of export countries following Mexico, that is the main exporter.
As regard to Spain, the total area intended for courgette culture totals 5,017 ha and the estimated production in 1999 by communities was as follows:
| Area | Hectares | Tons |
|---|---|---|
| Andalucía | 3,528 | 195,452 |
| Castilla-LaMancha | 176 | 3,819 |
| Cataluña | 198 | 7,804 |
| Región de Murcia | 288 | 7,172 |
| Canary Islands | 365 | 6,820 |
| Comunidad Valenciana | 187 | 4,456 |
| Others | 275 | 6,803 |
| TOTAL | 5,017 | 232,326 |
Source: La Horticultura Española (2001) Sech.
Andalucía is the Spanish community with greater courgette production, centred in the province of Almería. The Region of Murcia, Cataluña and Comunidad Valenciana are the rest of Spanish regions with larger production.
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