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· October 12, 2017

U.S. organic imports up 25% in 2017


by Sustainable Food News 

October 10, 2017

The U.S. organic products trade deficit for the first eight months of 2017 was $1 billion, with organic imports reaching $1.4 billion, while exports came in at $383.4 million, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) trade statistics released last week.

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The value of organic imports during Jan.-Aug. was up 25 percent compared to the same period in 2016, the trade data showed, while the value of organic exports during the first eight months was up 14 percent.

Last year, the U.S. organic products trade deficit hit nearly $1.2 billion, its highest level ever, with U.S. organic imports reaching $1.7 billion, while U.S. organic exports came in at $547.6 million. Check out the Top 10 U.S. organic imported and exported commodities for 2016.

U.S. organic imports from Mexico up 62%

Mexico was the leading exporter of organic commodities to the U.S. market in the first eight months of 2017, shipping in $176.7 million worth of product, a 62 percent increase over the same period last year.

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Mexico's main organic export in 2017 is organic avocados, valued at $73.6 million, up 137 percent over the first eight months of 2016. Organic bananas worth $27.8 million, a 127 percent increase over last year, was Mexico's second largest commodity, closely followed by organic Arabica coffee, which was worth $27.4 million, down 1 percent.

Turkey was the second largest exporter of organic commodities to the United States, shipping over $149.4 million worth of product, down 3 percent.

Turkey's two largest organic commodities shipped to the U.S. market were animal feed products: organic corn, valued at $72.4 million, down 14 percent, and organic soybeans, which were valued at $69.5 million, a 2 percent increase over the first eight months of 2016.

Brazil was the third largest exporter of organic commodities, shipping over $118.7 million worth of product, a 129 percent increase. Nearly two thirds of Brazil's exports were organic honey, valued at $79.4 million, an 90 percent increase. Brazil's organic sugar imports to the U.S. market were valued at $27.7 million, an increase of 767 percent.

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Organic corn imports drop 12%

The top 10 U.S. organic commodity imports (by value) for Jan.-Aug. 2017 include:

  • Organic Arabica coffee: $195 million, up 16 percent
  • Organic soybeans (except seed): $172.9 million, up 2 percent
  • Organic bananas: $157 million, up 12 percent
  • Organic extra virgin olive oil (>18kg): $118.7 million, up 221 percent
  • Organic corn: $103.1 million, down 12 percent
  • Organic honey: $101.2 million, up 105 percent
  • Organic extra virgin olive oil (<18kg): $83.4 million, up 4 percent
  • Organic Hass avocado: $77 million, up 140 percent
  • Organic apples: $66.3, up 6 percent
  • Organic cultivated blueberries: $25.2 million, up 94 percent

Organic milk exports up 1,100%

The largest U.S. organic export markets for the Jan.-Aug. 2017 period were Canada, valued at $182 million, up 6 percent, and Mexico, valued at $94 million, up 12 percent.

The top 10 U.S. organic commodity exports (by value) for Jan.-Aug. 2017 include:

  • Organic fresh apples: $72.7 million, up 37 percent
  • Organic lettuce: $39.4 million, up 9 percent
  • Organic fresh strawberries: $30.6 million, up 1 percent
  • Organic spinach: $26.1 million, up 2 percent
  • Organic carrots: $24.8 million, up 20 percent
  • Organic tomato sauce (excl. ketchup): $18.9 million, up 26 percent
  • Organic fresh grapes: $15.5 million, down 8 percent
  • Organic fresh berries: $15 million, up 31 percent
  • Organic fresh cultured blueberries: $12.7 million, down 1 percent
  • Organic cauliflower: $12.4, down 9 percent

Notably, the value of U.S. organic milk exports in the first eight months of 2017 reached $4.9 million, up more than 1,100 percent compared to the same period in 2016. Total U.S. organic milk exports in 2016 were valued at $3 million.

 

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