USDA raises import forecast for fruits and vegetables
The forecast for U.S. fruit and vegetable imports in fiscal year 2019 was raised by $200 million by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In its March 6 update on U.S. agricultural trade , the agency said its March estimates for horticultural product imports bumped up $1.3 billion from the previous forecast for fiscal year 2019 (Oct. 1 2019 to Sept. 30, 2020) to $64.5 billion.
Fresh fruit and vegetable imports each increased $100 million from the February forecast due to higher unit values, according to the release.
U.S. imports of fruits (fresh and frozen) totaled $1.59 billion in January, up 6% from the same month a year ago. U.S. imports of fresh vegetables totaled $1.09 billion in January, up 12% from $985,000 in January a year ago.
Meanwhile, the USDA said the U.S. projected horticultural exports for fiscal year 2019 remains unchanged at $35.3 billion.
Compared with a year ago, the USDA said January exports of U.S. apples were $80.1 million, down 10% from $89.1 million the same month last year. Meanwhile, U.S. citrus exports were $107.1 million, up 2.4% from $104.5 million a year ago.
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