Agronometrics Shorts: Imports Constitute an Increasing Share of U.S. Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Supply – USDA

The USDA’s Economic Research Service recently published a visual capturing the growth in imports of fresh produce and vegetables from 1981 to 2021. Following the transition to trade unburdened by tariffs and quotas among Mexico, Canada, and the United States under the auspices of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 2008, the inflow of U.S. fresh fruit and vegetable imports has demonstrated a discernible pattern of growth, punctuated by minimal disruptions. Between 2007 and 2021, the proportion of fresh fruit and vegetables originating from imports within the United States exhibited a notable increase, expanding from 50 to 60 percent for fresh fruit and from 20 to 38 percent for fresh vegetables, excluding specific varieties. The share of imports witnessed an increase exceeding 20%  during this timeframe for 10 crops, including asparagus, avocados, bell peppers, blueberries, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, raspberries, snap beans, and tomatoes. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which was effectively enforced on July 1, 2020, continues the market access provisions laid out by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) for fruits and vegetables. In 2022, the contribution of Mexico and Canada to U.S. fresh fruit imports amounted to 51 percent and 2 percent, respectively, while for fresh vegetables, these proportions stood at 69 percent and 20 percent, respectively, in terms of value. The visual  was constructed utilizing data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), specifically the Economic Research Service’s (ERS) data products, including the Fruit and Tree Nuts Yearbook Data and the Vegetables and Pulses Yearbook Data.