by Sustainable Food News 

December 5, 2017

The U.S. organic products trade deficit for the Jan.-Oct. 2017 period was over $1.2 billion, with organic imports reaching $1.7 billion, while exports came in at $478.8 million, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) trade statistics released Tuesday.

The value of organic imports during Jan.-Oct. was up 22 percent compared to the same period in 2016, the trade data showed, while the value of organic exports during the first 10 months was up 6 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 66%

Mexico was the leading exporter of organic commodities to the U.S. market in the first 10 months of 2017, shipping in $232 million worth of product, a 60 percent increase over the same period last year.

Mexico's main organic export in 2017 is organic avocados, valued at $107 million, up 102 percent over the first 10 months of 2016. Organic bananas worth $36.5 million, a 116 percent increase over last year, was Mexico's second largest commodity, closely followed by organic Arabica coffee, which was worth $29.1 million, down 2 percent.

Turkey was the second largest exporter of organic commodities to the United States, shipping over $172 million worth of product, down 15 percent.

Turkey's two largest organic commodities shipped to the U.S. market were animal feed products: organic corn, valued at $79.5 million, down 25 percent, and organic soybeans, which were valued at $84.2 million, a 12 percent decrease over the first 10 months of 2016.

Brazil was the third largest exporter of organic commodities, shipping over $128.6 million worth of product, a 79 percent increase. Nearly two thirds of Brazil's exports were organic honey, valued at $87.1 million, an 80 percent increase. Brazil's organic sugar imports to the U.S. market were valued at $25.6 million, an increase of 108 percent.

Organic honey imports up 94%

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

• Organic Arabica coffee: $233.5 million, up 15 percent
• Organic soybeans (except seed): $229.5 million, up 6 percent
• Organic bananas: $196.1 million, up 13 percent
• Organic extra virgin olive oil (>18kg): $131.2 million, up 141 percent
• Organic corn: $118 million, down 18 percent
• Organic honey: $112.5 million, up 94 percent
• Organic extra virgin olive oil (<18kg): $111.2 million, up 13 percent
• Organic Hass avocado: $110.8 million, up 104 percent
• Organic apples: $66.6, up 6 percent
• Organic sugar: $48.4 million, up 130 percent

Organic fresh apple exports up 25%

The largest U.S. organic export markets for the Jan.-Oct. 2017 period were Canada, valued at $221.8 million, up 4 percent, and Mexico, valued at $119.7 million, up 6 percent.