Geopolitics of Fruit and Vegetables

This article is an extract from the book Géopolitique des fruits et légumes (IRIS Éditions/Eyrolles Éditions, 2026), edited by Sébastien Abis and Anaïs Marie.

They are part of our everyday lives, good for our health and bursting with colour. They enjoy widespread popularity. Fruit and vegetables make up our meals, shape the way we eat and feature prominently in the countless books devoted to cooking or gardening… So much so that we sometimes, indeed very often, forget their geopolitical dimension.

That, then, is the main purpose of these pages: to offer a broad, long-term perspective on fruit and vegetables. Beyond a reminder of the fundamentals and an analysis of global trends lie agricultural, climatic, economic, political and social dynamics that may surprise consumers. And catch them cold. Let us set the scene here with a few points of reference before inviting you to take a bite from our menu.

Fruit and vegetables are key to global food security. They provide 15% of global calorie intake, account for 30% of global agricultural production and occupy 12% of cultivated agricultural land, or approximately 200 million hectares (Mha). This is equivalent to two and a half times the total area of metropolitan France, a mere speck on the globe. Nevertheless, these areas are expanding: they have doubled in fifty years, reaching 132 Mha for vegetables (including tubers and roots) and 68 Mha for fruit.

While the world’s population has risen from 4 billion to 8 billion over the past half-century, demand for fruit and vegetables has increased on every continent. More mouths to feed and growing interest in these foods because of their nutritional benefits. In many countries, particularly the most developed, societies want them all year round, regardless of seasons or origins, with priority given to their availability on the shelves. Not everyone enjoys such abundance. Indeed, three barriers to their universal consumption persist: millions of people have to rely on local harvests, which can frequently fall short; the price of fruit and vegetables can sometimes limit access to them; and keeping these foods fresh over time or in areas without efficient storage facilities remains difficult.

As always in agriculture and food, geography comes fully into play. Fruit and vegetables are doubly dependent on climate. Weather conditions determine production volumes and quality, but also consumer habits, with people more inclined to add plant-based foods to their plates depending on temperatures and sunshine. Fruit and vegetables also find their way into glasses, pots and pouches, as drinks, yoghurts and compotes are full of them. Back down to Earth: around 2,100 million tonnes (Mt) of vegetables are now harvested (including tubers and roots), along with 950 Mt of fruit. That is three times more than in 1975. This now amounts to 3,050 billion kilograms a year. We have deliberately converted the figure so that everyone can grasp the sheer weight of this production. Wheat, maize and rice together represent 2,500 Mt, by comparison with fruit and vegetables and the major cereals.

Who are the stars of the fields? Bananas above all, followed by watermelons, apples, grapes and oranges in the fruit aisle. Onions, cucumbers, cabbages, aubergines and, above all, tomatoes on the vegetable side. Globally, these are produced in the greatest quantities. A brief detour into botany will explain our choices. Tomatoes, cucumbers and avocados are covered in the fruit section because they develop from a flower. They are therefore not vegetables. For the latter, we have also included tubers, with potatoes and cassava, two key crops in the global food system. Fruit and vegetables have also benefited from genetic research for many years, a determining factor in increasing yields and developing varieties. They are also at the heart of trade, and even rank as the most traded category of food products worldwide by value ($230 billion a year). And yet, only 12% of harvested fruit and 6% of vegetables cross international borders. These border crossings require infrastructure, cold chains, multimodal transport and regional distribution centres. Shopping then takes place across wholesale markets, open-air markets and supermarkets.

All these elements, from production to consumption via the various logistical, industrial and health-related links in the chain, form part of the global landscape of international affairs. The capabilities and intentions of the actors involved are far from homogeneous. States and companies compete to remain competitive in the strategic fruit and vegetable sector. Far from being a marginal segment, it is an attractive field for investors, since these foods potentially tick every box when it comes to sustainable, healthy and good food. But that would be jumping to conclusions, as the realities are more complex and more sharply contrasted than that.

But, since we are talking about work, let us conclude this appetiser with a vital reminder: without women and men working in market gardening and arboriculture, without these farmers and entrepreneurs, both women and men, in the fields and in greenhouses, there would be no fruit and vegetables on our tables. Unless there is a major robotic revolution or we collectively adopt a severe diet. Geopolitical foresight always follows unavoidable pathways and explores contrasting scenarios.