Posts Tagged “strawberry imports”
USDA data shows strawberry consumption continues to surge.
Retail per capita availability of strawberries has grown from 5.3 pounds in 2016 to 6.7 pounds in 2021, according to the USDA.
Both domestic and import supplies of strawberries have increased in the past two decades, but the growth of imports has been much stronger.
The USDA estimates that domestic strawberry output increased from 1.77 billion pounds in 2016 to 2.17 billion pounds in 2021, a gain of 23% in that five-year period.
At the same time, imports of strawberries increased 43% from 2016 to 2021, rising from 365 million pounds in 2016 to 521 million pounds in 2021.
As a percent of the total strawberry supply in the U.S., the USDA reports that imports accounted for 19% of the total supply in 2021, up from 17% in 2016 and up from just 7% in 2000.
The peak month for domestic strawberry availability in 2022 was May, when shipments accounted for 15% of the total annual supply. Other top months for strawberry shipments include June (14%), April (11%), July (11%) and March (9%). The month with the smallest domestic shipments in 2022 was December, when just 3% of the domestic annual volume was shipped, according to USDA truck shipment data for conventional fruit.
Imported strawberry volume, dominated by Mexico, is active year-round. However, the top months for strawberry imports were February (18% of total annual volume), March (18%), January (16%) and April (14%). The smallest import volumes were recorded in August and September, which both accounted for less than 1% of the total imported annual volume.
A recent report from RaboResearch found that despite being a mature market, U.S. strawberry consumption continues to grow, both in terms of household penetration and volume, and driving an increase in imports as well as planted crops in California.
The report was authored by Senior Analyst, Produce, David Magaña; Fresh Produce Analyst Almuhanad Melhim; and Senior Analyst, Farm inputs Samuel Taylor. It found that even though the U.S. market is considered mature, it still shows growth patterns uncanny for a mature market, and will continue to lead the “berry patch” in the near future.
Growth in demand is estimated at around 3% CAGR annually, the report found.
This growth has helped drive an increased level of imports, and also driven multi-year high acreage in the state of California. Together, these trends are expected to improve availability of the fruit for 2022, with prices remaining steady.
This is not to say there is no uncertainty facing the crop, with high input costs the biggest contributing factor in the short term.
This demand also has made the fruit the golden child, at least for fruits, of the Controlled Agricultural Environment (CEA) industry, with vertical strawberry farms being a growing source of interest.
Just recently, Bowery Farming launched a new “discovery” pack that features two vertically grown strawberry cultivars in side-by-side compartments, the first commercial offer of vertically grown fruit. Driscoll’s and Plenty have also committed to controlled, vertical production as well, expanding on an initial test agreement.
The California strawberry harvest is currently hitting its peak season, as California growers have increased the share of early season fruit.
Exports of American apples topped $1 billion in 2018, 4 percent greater than in 2017. This is 5 times the value of U.S. apple imports. Meanwhile, there has been a huge increase in strawberry imports.
Total U.S. apple exports by value equaled $1.01 billion in 2019, an increase of 4 percent from $969 million in 2017 and 10 percent higher than $920 million in 2016, according to the USDA.
Mexico was the top export market for U.S. apples, taking 28 percent of U.S. apple exports by value. Canada and India were nearly tied for second place among export markets, each accounting for about 16 percent of total apple exports by value.
U.S. imports of apples totaled $198 million in 2018, off 15 percent from $233 million in 2017 and down 26 percent from $268 million in 2016. Chile was the top supplier of imported apples in 2018, supplying 44 percent of the total apple import value. After Chile, other top global suppliers to the U.S. were New Zealand, Canada, and Argentina.
Strawberry Imports
American imports of strawberries have soared over the past 5 years, according to trade statistics.
USDA stats show imports of fresh/frozen strawberries have climbed from $449 million in 2013 to $762 million in 2018.
That is an increase of about 70 percent over those 5 years. Trade numbers from 2018 show peak strawberry imports were recorded in February, followed in rank by March, January, and December.
In 2018, Mexico accounted for 93 percent of total U.S. strawberry imports, followed by Chile with 3 percent and 1 percent from Canada. That was similar to 2013 when Mexico represented 95 percent of U.S. strawberry imports.
Meanwhile, USDA trade data reveals U.S. fresh strawberry exports in 2018 totaled $379 million, up 1 percent from 2017.
California table grapes remaining to be shipped this season at the close of September were the highest in at least a decade.
Red seedless varieties account for most of the increase from last season. Origin Fruit Services South America compiled the report showing California table grapes remaining to be shipped as of September 30th were 12.9 million boxes – 19 percent above the 10.8 million boxes at the same time last year.
The report has recorded stocks, or remaining shipments, for the past 10 years. The second-highest level over this period was in 2008 when stocks of 11.2 million boxes were registered. Since 2009, stocks as of September 30th have ranged from 7.5 million boxes in 2012 to 11.1 million boxes in 2010.
Remaining shipments of red seedless grapes recently amounted to 7.4 million boxes – up 39 percent from a year ago. White seedless volumes are the same as last year at 4.5 million, while black seedless are up 16 percent at 656,000 boxes.
Red Globes, meanwhile, are down 25 percent from last year at 365,000 boxes.
San Joaquin Valley table grapes – grossing about $7500 to Miami.
Record shipping volume
The California table grape industry set a new five-week shipping record, moving over 23 million boxes into the worldwide marketplace September 8th through October 12th.
About 60 to 65 percent of California table grapes are normally shipped from September 1st through January.
L&M Pepper Shipments
L&M Farms of Raleigh, NC has expanded pepper field acreage this year with proprietary-seed colored bell peppers under the Simply Sun brand, which is now grown and shipped year-round. Loadings are now originating from Georgia and then will shift to Florida before returning back up north on the East Coast to North Carolina and then over to Michigan. The Simply Sun colored bells come in red and yellow now, with orange peppers coming into the program as well.
Strawberry Imports
Dave’s Specialty Imports, Miami, Fla., is importing a jumbo blueberry pack and has significantly expanded its imports of organic strawberries from Mexico.
Imported Mexican organic strawberries are crossing the border and will overlap slightly with the start of Florida strawberry shipments in January.