What country produces the most apricots in the world?
Turkey leads global apricot production, accounting for 20% of the world total. In 2023, worldwide production reached 3.7 million tonnes. Malatya is the center of Turkey's apricot industry.
Questions about Apricot
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Where did apricots originally come from?
Apricots were domesticated in Central Asia and China, not in Armenia as early botanists assumed. From there, the fruit spread south to South Asia, west through West Asia, Europe, and North Africa, and east to Japan. The apricot reached southwest Asia by the third century BC.
Are apricot kernels poisonous?
Bitter apricot kernels contain about 5% amygdalin, which the body converts into cyanide, yielding roughly 1.8 mg of cyanide per kernel. Sweet kernels contain about 0.9% amygdalin, or approximately 0.3 mg of cyanide. Amygdalin is not oil-soluble, so apricot kernel oil is safe to consume without treatment.
Why do US Marines consider apricots bad luck?
US Marines consider apricots, especially near tanks, to be exceptionally bad luck. This superstition has been documented since at least the Vietnam War and is often said to originate in World War II. Marines avoid even saying the word, substituting terms like "cots", "Forbidden fruit", or "A-fruit".
What does the Egyptian Arabic phrase bukra filmishmish mean?
"Bukra filmishmish" means "tomorrow in apricot season" and is used in Egyptian Arabic and Palestinian Arabic to dismiss an unlikely promise or an overly optimistic prediction. The expression reflects the notoriously short and unreliable apricot season in Egypt.
What is the cultural significance of apricots in China?
The Chinese classical term "xing tan", meaning "apricot altar" or "educational circle", derives from a story told by the philosopher Zhuangzi in the fourth century BC, in which Confucius taught his students among apricot trees. The association with medicine comes from the physician Dong Feng, who asked recovered patients to plant apricot trees in his orchard instead of paying a fee.