Celebrating the good times
01 October 2009 11:12
Gill McShane
As the global produce business prepares to journey to the largest US gathering of the fresh fruit, vegetable and floral industries and with the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) marking its 60-year anniversary in 2009, it seems appropriate in the October/November issue of Americafruit Magazine to look back at the substantial growth of the US import trade in the last few decades.
Traditionally a major supplier of fresh produce, the US has become a significant importer in the years since PMA was founded on the back of rising consumer income, growing demand for year-round availability, global trade agreements and advancements in technology.
Indeed, fresh fruit and vegetable imports into the US more than doubled in value between 1994 and 2004 to US$12.7bn, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), compared with exports of US$9.7bn.
As a result, US consumers are eating more imported fresh produce (as well as canned, frozen and juice) than ever before. On average, each American consumed 31lbs of imported fresh vegetables and 20lbs of imported fresh fruit in 2007 – twice as much as in 1993, according to consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch.
Out of the 50 commonly eaten and produced fruit and vegetable products in the US, around one fifth of fresh fruit (22.3 per cent) and fresh vegetables (23.9 per cent) were imported in 2007, Food & Water Watch said. In total, 40bn lbs of produce entered the US in 2007.
Geographical proximity and low or zero tariffs mean the North American Free Trade Agreement region, the Southern Hemisphere and Latin American banana-producing countries are among the key sources for fresh fruit and vegetable imports into the US.
Bananas, table grapes and tropicals are the major fruit imports, according to the USDA, with bananas still representing the number one fresh fruit consumed in the US. Imports of tropicals are also growing rapidly, driven by successful marketing initiatives for pineapples, mangoes and papayas. In the fresh vegetable category, meanwhile, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers continue to rank as the main imported products.
With organizations remaining committed to driving consumption, the industry can once again expect great business opportunities at the 60th PMA Fresh Summit in Anaheim, California, on 2-5 October. And while you’re there, you may wish to drop by Booth 1524 to toast my one-year anniversary at the helm of Americafruit Magazine!
As the global produce business prepares to journey to the largest US gathering of the fresh fruit, vegetable and floral industries and with the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) marking its 60-year anniversary in 2009, it seems appropriate in the October/November issue of Americafruit Magazine to look back at the substantial growth of the US import trade in the last few decades.
Traditionally a major supplier of fresh produce, the US has become a significant importer in the years since PMA was founded on the back of rising consumer income, growing demand for year-round availability, global trade agreements and advancements in technology.
Indeed, fresh fruit and vegetable imports into the US more than doubled in value between 1994 and 2004 to US$12.7bn, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), compared with exports of US$9.7bn.
As a result, US consumers are eating more imported fresh produce (as well as canned, frozen and juice) than ever before. On average, each American consumed 31lbs of imported fresh vegetables and 20lbs of imported fresh fruit in 2007 – twice as much as in 1993, according to consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch.
Out of the 50 commonly eaten and produced fruit and vegetable products in the US, around one fifth of fresh fruit (22.3 per cent) and fresh vegetables (23.9 per cent) were imported in 2007, Food & Water Watch said. In total, 40bn lbs of produce entered the US in 2007.
Geographical proximity and low or zero tariffs mean the North American Free Trade Agreement region, the Southern Hemisphere and Latin American banana-producing countries are among the key sources for fresh fruit and vegetable imports into the US.
Bananas, table grapes and tropicals are the major fruit imports, according to the USDA, with bananas still representing the number one fresh fruit consumed in the US. Imports of tropicals are also growing rapidly, driven by successful marketing initiatives for pineapples, mangoes and papayas. In the fresh vegetable category, meanwhile, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers continue to rank as the main imported products.
With organizations remaining committed to driving consumption, the industry can once again expect great business opportunities at the 60th PMA Fresh Summit in Anaheim, California, on 2-5 October. And while you’re there, you may wish to drop by Booth 1524 to toast my one-year anniversary at the helm of Americafruit Magazine!
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