Horticulture industry

The horticulture industry embraces the production, processing and shipping of and the market for fruits and vegetables. As such it is a sector of agribusiness and industrialized agriculture. Industrialized horticulture sometimes also includes the floriculture industry and production and trade of ornamental plants.

Among the most important fruits are:

• bananas
• semi-tropical fruits like lychee, guava or tamarillo[1]
• Citrus fruits
• soft fruits (berries)
• apples
• stone fruits

Important vegetables include:

• potatoes
• sweet potatoes
• tomatoes
• onions and
• cabbage

In 2013, the global fruit production was estimated at 676.9 million tonnes (666,200,000 long tons; 746,200,000 short tons). Global vegetable production (including melons) was estimated at 879.2 million tonnes (865,300,000 long tons; 969,200,000 short tons) with China and India being the two top producing countries.[2][3]