Major peach producing U.S. states 2023
This statistic shows the peach production in the United States in 2023, by state. California ranked first among U.S. states, with a production of 480 thousand tons that year.
The peach producing industry in the United States - additional information
The peach tree, native to Northwest China, is believed to have been domesticated and cultivated since 2000 BC. From China, where it was favored by royals and depicted in tapestries and literary works, it was brought to India, Persia, Greece and later on to the American continent. Today, the peach fruit (as well as the nectarine, which is a peach variety, not a different fruit) comes in hundreds of cultivars of different sizes, slightly different colors and aromas and is cultivated all around the world.
As of 2021, the peach and nectarine production worldwide amounted to around 18.84 million metric tons, with Asia being the largest regional producer.
Fruit consumption in the U.S.
In the United States, the total peach production was estimated at about 625.7 thousand tons in 2022. That same year, California was shown as the largest producer on a state level, with some 475 thousand tons harvested, representing about two thirds of the total national production. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2021 about 2,4 pounds of peaches and nectarines per capita were consumed in the United States , a decrease from about 4.5 pounds per capita a decade prior. Annually, Americans eat around 95 pounds of fresh fruit per capita, bananas, apples, and grapes being the most popular.