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Popularity among the average consumer is also a relative concept. As a rough rule of thumb, the maximum quantities of a product are consumed in proportion to the quantities produced. Based on this conclusion, the naked-science portal has compiled a ranking of the world’s most popular fruits.
Bananas — 135 million tons
Bananas are the most produced fruit in the world: about 135 million tons. They were also among the first fruits to be domesticated by humans: they were cultivated in the wet lands of the Cook Valley in the mountainous region of New Guinea as early as 8000–5000 BCE, then they spread throughout Southeast Asia and eventually reached the Philippines. Today, India grows the most bananas—nearly a quarter of the world’s harvest—followed by China and the Philippines.
The appeal of the banana lies in its convenience. It reaches the consumer in its own protective peel, requires no washing, and withstands transportation well, making it one of the most popular snacks on the planet. It is also a good source of potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, fiber, and magnesium.
Watermelons — 100 million tons
Few things compare to a cold watermelon on a hot day, and about 100 million of these fruits are grown worldwide each year. Watermelons are native to northeastern Africa. Their seeds have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs, including Tutankhamun’s tomb.
Today, China dominates production, growing about 60 million tons—more than half of the global harvest. In addition to being eaten fresh, watermelon flesh is used in a wide variety of beverages—both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
Apples — 96 million tons
About 96 million tons of apples are produced annually. They originate from the mountains of Central Asia, where their wild ancestor still grows in the forests of southern Kazakhstan. These fruits spread westward along the Silk Road over the course of millennia. The main appeal of the apple is its juicy crunch, as well as the variety of cultivars: from sweet to tart, from green to red. China grows nearly half of the world’s apple crop, ahead of the United States and Poland. The Japanese Fuji variety, prized for its size and sweetness, has become one of the most popular varieties in the world. However, “niche” or so-called “club” apple varieties are now gaining popularity.
Oranges — 76 million tons
Oranges are a citrus hybrid that was developed in southern China thousands of years ago before spreading westward. They reached the Americas in 1493, during Columbus’s second voyage.
Brazil is the largest producer, growing about 16 million tons—nearly one-fifth of the world’s orange harvest. A sweet, juicy fruit packed with a high dose of vitamin C in a single fruit. Orange juice is the go-to breakfast drink for most of the world. Its main drawback is the sticky peel.
Grapes — 75 million tons
Grapes round out the top five with a yield of about 75 million tons. They are one of the oldest cultivated fruits, domesticated about 6,000–8,000 years ago in the South Caucasus and the Middle East. Grapes have almost always been directly linked to winemaking.
Today, China is the largest producer of grapes, ahead of Italy, the United States, France, and Spain. About half of the world’s grapes are used for wine, while the rest are eaten fresh as table grapes or dried into raisins.
Mangoes — 59 million tons
Experts at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) include mangoes alongside guavas and mangosteens. India grows nearly half of this volume and is the world’s mango capital, where the fruit has been cultivated for about 4,000 years. Mangoes did not reach the Americas until the 18th century, having been brought to Brazil by the Portuguese and to Mexico via the Philippines by the Spanish. Mangoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A, as well as vitamin B6 and fiber.
Pears — 26 million tons
Pears do not originate from any single place. They grow throughout most of Europe and Asia and in North Africa. They have been eaten since prehistoric times. In China, the fruit has been cultivated for at least 3,000 years. China remains by far the largest producer, growing nearly two-thirds of the world’s pear harvest. Underappreciated in much of the West, pears are as common as apples in Eastern Europe, where they can be bought cheaply at street markets and are often picked from trees in gardens and along roadsides on the way to work. They are also cooked down into compotes and jams.
Avocado — 10 million tons
The avocado is native to south-central Mexico and was domesticated there about 5,000 years ago. The Aztecs ate them long before the arrival of Europeans; Spanish explorers first described them in the early 16th century. Mexico remains the largest producer (about 2.5 million tons)—more than any other country. Avocados are rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, which, along with fiber, potassium, and vitamins E and K, make them a true nutritional powerhouse.
