Although far from occupying a lead-
ership position in any olericulture crop,
currently, Brazil is on the list of the 10
biggest producers of several crops of the
segment in the world. Brazilian cassava
and watermelon occupy the best posi-
tion, ranking as fourth biggest crops at
global level, from data collected in 2012
by the Food and Agriculture Organiza-
tion of the United Nations (FAO). The
two crops are followed by carrots (along
with turnips), ranking seventh. Toma-
toes, melons and onions produced in
Brazil occupy the ninth position, whilst
the tenth position belongs to the group
of the so-called fresh legumes (including
beet, radish, cress…).
It should be clarified that, in the main
Brazilian crops included among the lead-
ing ones in the world, two of the ones
taken into consideration are equally
identified as fruits (melon and watermel-
on, analyzed in the Brazilian Fruticulture
Yearbook and occupying prominent po-
sitions in exports). Moreover, cassava is
highlighted, sometimes partially or en-
tirely excluded when olericulture is ad-
dressed. Anyway, all of them attest to the
productive power of the Country regard-
ing food products of great relevance.
Other plants grown in Brazil that also
stand out at global level are garlic and
yam, respectively ranking as thirteenth
and fourteenth. The twentieth position is
occupied by Brazilian potatoes and sweet
potatoes. By coincidence, two items (gar-
lic and potatoes) equally belong to the
group of the crops that are purchased
in big amounts from other countries, in
line with another crop still acquired in
big volumes from abroad, onions, which
is also one of the most produced in Bra-
zil, ninth in the international ranking.
The world, in 33 olericulture crops
surveyed by Embrapa Vegetables at the
FAO, in 2012, reaches a production of 1.5
billion tons, led by potatoes, with 365
million tons. Both the volume and the
planted area are soaring: in five years,
14.7% and 7.8%, each. In Brazil, with
1.2% of the total, production was up
3.8%, while the planted area went down
2.1%, attesting to strides in productivi-
ty. Among the 11 leading products that
were surveyed, China, the Asian giant,
is the leader in nine of them, with the
neighboring India as vice leader in five
of them, whilst in two crops (cassava and
yam) the leader is Nigeria, in Africa.
Among the
big ones
Brazil is on the list of the 10 biggest producers of
olericulture crops, where the giant Asian country,
China, is the unquestionable leader in most of them
Cassava and
watermelon rank
Brazil as fourth
biggest producer
in the world
27
ESCALA MUNDIAL
Global scale
Principais destaques do Brasil
Culturas
Posição
Mandioca, melancia
4º
Cenoura e nabo
7º
Tomate, melão, cebola
9º
Legumes frescos
10º
Produção mundial
1,5 bilhão t
Produção brasileira
18,7 milhões t
Fonte:
FAO/Embrapa Hortaliças/2012.
