Food - Drink
Which State Produces The Most Apricots In The US?
By NICO DANILOVICH
The United States is the leading producer of many fruits and vegetables, but not apricots; that honor goes to Turkey. However, America did produce a not-so-measly 33,400 tons of this fruit in 2020, which is enough to export to countries like Canada, Mexico, and Japan, and one very large state is responsible for most of this output.
Apricots originated in China over 3,000 years ago, but the crop only arrived in America in the 1700's. Apricot trees proceeded to flourish, and today, California is the state that produces the most of this fruit; many farms used to exist in the San Francisco Bay area, but after World War II, much of the production moved to the San Joaquin Valley.
California's climate is perfect for apricots because the trees thrive in dry, arid valleys that offer long, warm sunny days followed by cool nights. The state's hot and dry summers also reduce pest- and disease-related risk factors, which is why California is also the biggest producer of American strawberries, almonds, and other crops.