U.S. organic imports growing from Mexico, Peru

U.S. imports of organic fresh produce from Mexico and Peru are growing fast, U.S. Department of Agriculture trade numbers reveal.

U.S. trade statistics from September 2020 through August 2021 showed Mexican organic avocados topped all organic produce exports to the U.S. in value for the most recent 12-month period.

U.S. imports of Mexican organic avocados totaled $150.8 million from September 2020 to August 2021, up 23% from a year ago and up 29% from two years ago.

Running a close second, U.S. imports of Mexican organic blueberries totaled $143.8 million in 2020-21, up 55% from a year ago and almost three times as much as $50 million two years ago.

Mexico’s organic banana shipments to the U.S. totaled $83.3 million, up 10% from $77.8 million in 2020 and more than 60% higher than two years ago.

U.S. imports of Mexican organic greenhouse bell peppers have exploded in the past five years, rising from $13.3 million in 2016 to $81.5 million in 2021.

Meanwhile, U.S. imports of Mexican organic mangoes rose from just $8 million in 2016 to more than $45 million in 2021, according to the USDA.

U.S. imports of Mexican organic squash totaled $19 million in 2021, up from less than $1 million in 2017.

Mexican organic lemons shipments to the U.S. totaled $7.6 million in 2021, up 18% from last year and nearly three times more than $2.8 million in 2018.

Organic fresh strawberry shipments to the U.S. totaled more than $2 million in 2021, up from zero in 2020.

Peru’s blues

Peru also has been rising fast as a supplier of organic produce.

U.S. imports of Peruvian blueberries totaled $64.7 million in 2021, up 14% from last year and more than twice the value of two years ago.

U.S. imports of Peruvian organic bananas totaled $38.8 million in 2021, down 6% from 2020.

Peruvian organic ginger shipment to the U.S. totaled $29.4 million, up 47% from 2020 and more than twice 2019 level of $12.8 million.