The Country That Grows The Most Raspberries

From serving as a wholesome pre-lunch snack to providing a sweet, fruity twist on a classic tiramisu recipe, raspberries bring a fresh burst of sweetness and acidity to anything they touch. While you might picture a tropical paradise to be the biggest producer of such a juicy, vivacious fruit, the country that grows the most raspberries is Russia. In 2022, the nation produced at least 468 million pounds of raspberries, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. For reference, that's about 22.4% of the raspberry production in the world. While it might come as a surprise to some people, raspberries are native to Europe and northern Asia, so it does make sense.

While Russia might not exactly be known for its springs, when raspberries tend to start thriving, the country still reigns as the top producer of the fruit. Most of the farmlands growing these berries are in the warmer areas of Russia (think regions in the south), but raspberries grow naturally in the woods throughout the country, too. Still, because the warmest weather typically only sticks around through summer, most of Russia's fruit production occurs mostly during a few months out of the year. For the rest of the year, the climate is too cold for crops to flourish, which means roughly 80% of the fruit and vegetables sold in Russia are still imported.

While Russia grows the most raspberries out of all other countries in the world, there are a few others that aren't far behind. For starters, Mexico is a major producer of raspberries, putting out about 383 million pounds of the fruit in 2022, per the FAO. (The nation also happens to be the biggest supplier of watermelons to the U.S., although China is the country that produces the most watermelons in the world.) The United States, Serbia, and Poland also grow a large number of raspberries, so there are plenty of other places that are keen on the fruit.

While raspberry bushes typically need full sun and rich soil to thrive, those conditions can be replicated anywhere with the help of greenhouses, from winter havens to summer hubs. So, the next time you pick up a container of these fruits at the store, don't be surprised if they came from one of the world's biggest producers of raspberries. And hey, since they traveled all that way, here's the best way to prevent mold on fresh berries, because those fragile fruits just don't stick around forever.