U.S. imports of both fruits and vegetables increased moderately in 2019, new trade figures reveal.
Total U.S. imports of fresh vegetables totaled $9.07 billion in 2019, up 7% compared with 2018.
Meanwhile, the USDA report U.S. imports of fresh/frozen fruit totaled $15.06 billion, up 8% compared with 2018.
By dollar value, with comparison to 2018, leading fruit imports for 2019 were:
- Total fresh and frozen fruit: $15.06 billion, up 8%;
- Berries (blueberries and raspberries: $2.92 billion, up 14%;
- Avocados: $2.76 billion, up 18%;
- Bananas/plantains: $2.4 billion, down 1%;
- Fresh grapes: $1.65 billion, up 6%;
- Fresh citrus: $1.23 billion, down 5%;
- Fresh or frozen strawberries: $1.07 billion, up 41%;
- Fresh melons: $694 million, up 5%; and
- Fresh or frozen pineapples: $655 million, down 2%.
By dollar value, with comparison to 2018, leading U.S. vegetable imports for 2019 were:
- Fresh vegetables; $9.07 billion, up 7%;
- Fresh tomatoes: $2.31 billion, down 3%;
- Fresh peppers: $1.67 billion, up 13%;
- Fresh cucumbers: $826 million, up 8%;
- Fresh asparagus: $694.4 million, up 10%;
- Fresh onions: $449 million, down 3$%;
- Fresh squash: $388 million, up 5%;
- Fresh lettuce: $368 million, up 30%;
- Fresh cauliflower and broccoli: $347 million, up 18%;
- Fresh potatoes: $208 million, down 8%;
- Fresh garlic: $187 million, up 23%; and
- Fresh beans: $151 million, up 3%.
By country of origin, 2019 import trends for fresh vegetables, compared with 2018, were:
- Mexico: $6.3 billion, up 8%;
- Canada: $1.62 billion, up 7%;
- Peru: $330 million, up 8%;
- Guatemala: $150.6 million, up 8%;
- Costa Rica: $70.2 million, no change;
- Ecuador: $37.8 million, up 39%;
- Honduras: $53.9 million, down 3%;
- Colombia: $15.1 million, up 3%; and
- China: $126.1 million, up 1%.
By country of origin, 2019 import trends for fresh or frozen fruit, compared with 2018, were:
- Mexico: $7.3 billion, up 18%;
- Chile: $1.4 billion, down 10%;
- Peru: $1.3 billion, up 26%;
- Canada: $399.8 million, up 2%;
- Guatemala: $1.2 billion, down 3%;
- Costa Rica: $978.9 million, down 3%;
- Ecuador: $436.5 million, down 1%;
- Honduras: $377 million, up 4%;
- Colombia: $197 million, down 8%;
- Argentina: $154 million, down 5%; and
- New Zealand: $127 million, down 9%.
