Posts Tagged “fresh fruit imports”
In recent months fresh fruit imports are running higher than expected, and the USDA has upped its import forecast for fiscal year 2022 to reflect higher unit values.
The USDA reported in its May 26 trade forecast U.S. agricultural imports from October 2021 through September 2022 (fiscal year 2022) are expected to increase to a record $180.5 billion, up $8 billion from the February forecast.
The USDA’s May forecast said import values are up more than 20% for the first half of fiscal year 2022 compared the previous year.
The updated fiscal year 2022 forecast for horticultural product imports is $92.2 billion, $3.2 billion above the previous forecast in February.
Fresh and processed fruit imports are expected to rise by $1.2 billion and $1 billion, respectively, as import quantities of these products continue their long-running upward trend and unit values continue to increase, the USDA said.
The May forecast calls for U.S. fresh fruit imports at $17.5 billion, up 7.3% from the February forecast of $16.3 billion and 13% higher than $15.5 billion in fresh imports in fiscal year 2021.
The USDA reported import values of fresh produce commodities for the 12-month period from April 2021 to March 22, with percent change from a year ago:
- Berries (excluding strawberries): $4 billion, up 21%;
- Avocados: $3.22 billion, up 33%;
- Bananas/plantains: $2.46 billion, up 1%;
- Grapes: $1.96 billion, up 14%;
- Citrus: $1.79 billion, up 26%;
- Strawberries: $1.44 billion, up 13%;
- Pineapples: $801.6 million, up 15%;
- Mangoes: $748.5 million, up 15%;
- Melons: $673.8 million, up 17%;
- Kiwifruit: $207.9 million, up 21%;
- Pears: $108.6 million, up 6%;
- Peaches: $64.6 million, down 2%;
- Plums: $27.01 million, down 39%.
U.S. fresh fruit imports in July fell by 14 percent from last year to $857million, driven by declines in Hass avocados and bananas, according to the USDA.
While the figure is a big decline from the previous year, it is only marginally below the level recorded in July 2018. Hass avocados – which in July typically represent around a quarter of the U.S.’s total fresh fruit imports by value – fell by 32 percent to $189 million.
Bananas were the other major fruit import to experience big decline, falling 15 percent to $147 million. Imports of citrus overall remained flat at $184.3 million, although mandarin imports almost doubled in the month to hit $42.5 million, while lemons and clementines both saw declines of about 30 percent.
The fresh deciduous fruit category also fell, declining by 28 percent to $68.9 million, which was largely due to lower imports of table grapes and apples.
Imports from Mexico – which in July usually supplies around a third of the total – dropped by 14 percent to $317.6 million. Meanwhile, fresh fruit imports from Peru also fell by 14 percent to $104.4 million.
Bananas claim over 50 percent of the volume of fresh fruit imports,” said the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. Excluding bananas, fresh fruit imports rose from 12 percent of domestic consumption.
Bananas are sold the year around in the this country and rank number one in U.S. per capita fresh fruit consumption, followed by apples and oranges. To meet U.S. demand, bananas are imported, primarily from Guatemala, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia and Honduras. Excluding bananas, fruit imports increased an average 7 percent annually over the past two decades.
U.S. fruit imports rose during the last three decades, partly owing to the growing minority ethnic populations in the United States and to an increased demand for new products. Not only have imports expanded for commodities already produced domestically and created competition for U.S. producers, but imports have also increased for nontraditional fruits, especially many tropical fruits.
- Eat at least one banana a day, they are said to contain everything a human needs and they contain all the 8 amino-acids our body cannot produce itself.
- Bananas are a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamin C;
- Red bananas are often dried and converted to meal which is used in many ways;
- Red bananas contain more vitamin C as yellow bananas (the redder a fruit, the more nutritious elements it contains).