Increasing U.S. per capita availability of onions has been accompanied by rising onion imports by Mexico, Peru, and other countries, according to USDA data.
In 1985, imports of onions accounted for just 7% of domestic onion production. By 1990, imports of onions accounted for 9% of domestic onion production. That rose to 11% by 2005, jumping to 14% by 2010 and 26% by 2021, according to the USDA.
At the same time, the per capita availability of onions jumped from 13.4 pounds in 1985 to 18.9 pounds in 1995 and as high as 25 pounds in 2017. In 2020, per capita U.S. onion availability was rated just short of 20 pounds in 2021, according to USDA figures.
Imports as a percentage of U.S. domestic production
(Source: USDA)
1985 | 7% |
1986 | 7% |
1987 | 10% |
1988 | 11% |
1989 | 9% |
1990 | 9% |
1991 | 12% |
1992 | 9% |
1993 | 10% |
1994 | 10% |
1995 | 9% |
1996 | 11% |
1997 | 10% |
1998 | 10% |
1999 | 9% |
2000 | 8% |
2001 | 11% |
2002 | 10% |
2003 | 11% |
2004 | 9% |
2005 | 11% |
2006 | 10% |
2007 | 13% |
2008 | 11% |
2009 | 11% |
2010 | 14% |
2011 | 14% |
2012 | 14% |
2013 | 16% |
2014 | 19% |
2015 | 19% |
2016 | 16% |
2017 | 16% |
2018 | 21% |
2019 | 20% |
| 2021 | 26% |
