Around 65 percent of global onion output comes from the 8 top onion producing countries. Onion trading dates all the way back to 2,000BC and for centuries, it has been one of the most consumed crops on the planet.
Today, onion is third most eaten vegetable in the US, right after tomato and potato. Globally, 84,758,191 tons of onions are produced, while the vegetable ranks as first by harvested area. In terms of how much onion is eaten per capita annually, Libya with 34kg and Albania with 33kg lead the list of onion lovers.
In order to determine which are the 8 countries that produce the most onion, InsiderMonkey relied on latest UN data. Here is their list:
8. Pakistan
Production: 1,660,800 tonnes
Around 1.6 million tonnes of onion is produced annually in Pakistan; accounting for 2.5 percent of global yield. Onion export peaked in 2011 when 173,152 tons were shipped worldwide, which placed the country among the top onion exporters. In the following years, the quantity of the vegetable intended for the international market sharply declined. However, according to the latest data, in 2015, Pakistan exported at least $220 million worth of the crop.
7. Egypt
Production: 1,903,000 tonnes
Egypt is another country on this list where onion’s export hit the record in 2015 mainly because India opened its border for products from Egypt. It is estimated that the crop’s export was doubled compared to previous years. Main importers of the vegetable from Egypt are India, EU and Russia.
6. Turkey
Production: 1,904,846 tonnes
Onion has a long history of breeding and consumption in Turkey, where it is not only used in cuisine, but also as traditional medicine for various diseases. Last year was a good one for Turkish farmers. Production of almost all fruit and vegetable increased while prices were kept at satisfactory levels. According to Turkstat, the country yielded five percent more onion compared to 2014 as a result of favorable rainfall. The top producing region is Polatli where 62,000 decares of land were planted.
5. Russia
Production: 1,984,937 tonnes
Onion is the third most produced vegetable in Russia. It is also one of the most consumed and imported crops. Since the food import ban for EU countries, Russia has begun to rely largely on Turkey, China, and Israel as major suppliers. Between 2013 and 2014 onion import more than doubled, but the prices also went up for about 25 percent.
4. Iran
Production: 2,381,551 tonnes
With 23.8 million tonnes of produced onion, Iran ranks as the fourth country on the list. The vegetable is grown on 70.125ha while according to latest UN data 46,499 tonnes are shipped worldwide.
3. The United States of America
Production: 3,159,400 tonnes
Although the US is one of the leading onion-producing countries and the crop is the third most consumed vegetable in the country, in terms of how much onion is eaten per capita, America falls behind the rest of the world. The average American eats 19.8Ib annually, which is above the world’s average. California, followed by Washington State, is the top producer. The US is the second largest exporter with 33.6 million tons shipped worldwide while 11.9 million tons were imported in 2015.
2. India
Production: 19,299,000 tonnes
According to some estimates, onion production will peak this year reaching 20.6 million tons since many farmers have decided to drop cotton production in favor of onion. The total planted area will increase from 15 to 20 percent, leading to 10-15 percent output rise. In 2015, India was the largest onion exporter with 48.6 million tons shipped internationally.
1. China
Production: 22,300,000 tonnes
With 22.3 million tonnes, China ranks first. The most populated country in the world is also the largest exporter of the vegetable. Good quality and low prices are two things that make onion from China competitive on the international market. According to UN data, the total harvested area is 1,025,000ha.