Wherever apples grow you can be sure some critter will be enjoying their goodness and flavour.  From raccoons and bears, to horses and insects--they all love apples!!!

We humans love them too--the apple tree is the most widely cultivated of all the fruit trees.

WORLD APPLE PRODUCTION

In 1997, an amazing 44.7 million metric tonnes of apples were produced for human consumption.  Of those, more than 84% were bought and used commercially (by a company).

The leading apple growing country is China, producing about 41% of the world's apples, followed by the United States, Turkey, France, Poland, Italy, the Russian Federation, Germany, Argentina, Japan, and Chile.  Even warmer countries like Iraq and Mexico are able to grow apples in their cooler upland regions.
 

CANADIAN APPLE PRODUCTION

Apples are Canada's most important fruit crop.  Canadian growers produced about 506,000 metric tonnes of apples in 1997, worth about $182 million (Canadian).  Our leading apple producing province is Ontario, followed by British Columbia, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.  More than 7,000 Canadian farms grow apples on over 30,000 hectares of farmland.

UNITED STATES APPLE PRODUCTION

In the United States, 4.6 million metric tonnes of apples were produced in 1997, with a wholesale value of more than $1 billion (U.S.). Of those apples, roughly:

• 50% were enjoyed as fresh fruit.
• 20% were used to make vinegar, cider, wine, juice, jelly, and apple butter.
• 17% were canned as applesauce and pie filling.
• 13% were exported (sold to other countries).