Global status of greenhouse production
- More than 55 countries now in the world where cultivation of crops is undertaken on a commercial scale under cover.
- United States of America has a total area of about 4000ha under greenhouses mostly used for floriculture with a turnover of more than 2.8 billion US $ per annum
- The area under greenhouses in Spain has been estimated to be around 25,000 ha and Italy 18,500 ha used mostly for growing vegetable crops like watermelon, capsicum, strawberries, beans, cucumbers and tomatoes.
- In Canada the greenhouse industry caters both to theflower and off-season vegetable markets.
- With about 89,600 ha under cover, the Netherland greenhouse industry is probably the most advanced in the world.
- Amongst gulf countries, Israel is the largest exporter of cut flowers and has wide range of crops under greenhouses (15,000 ha) and Turkey has an area of 10,000 ha under cover for cultivation of cut flowers and vegetables
- In Saudi Arabia cucumbers and tomatoes are the most important crops contributing more than 94% of the total production.
- In Asia, China and Japan are the largest users of greenhouses.
- In China, with a modest beginning in late seventies, the area under greenhouses in China has increased to 48,000 ha in recent years.
- Japan has more than 40,000 ha under greenhouse cultivation of which nearly 7500 ha is devoted to only fruit orchards
- Even a country like South Korea has more than 21,000ha under greenhouses for production of flowers and fruits.