Mexico is the leading country exporting to the US (26%), followed by Guatemala (19%) and Costa Rica (17%). Mexico is currently increasing its avocado, mango and strawberry exports and it is the first exporter of lime and watermelons to North America.
Source: ITC Trade Map
The main imported product in 2012 were bananas (4,644,770 tons), i.e. 47% of imported fruit (9,911,962 tons) and an annual growth rate of 2% in the last 5 years. Three-quarters of bananas come from Guatemala, Costa Rica and Ecuador.
Source: ITC Trade Map
Bananas are followed by pineapples (924,886 in 2012), i.e. 9% of the total. Volumes from Costa Rica have increased by 35% with respect to 2008. Then there's melons (6% in 2012), more or less at the same level as grapes, avocados, watermelons and lemons. The list ends with apples (2%).
Avocados increased the most in the last 5 years (+12%), followed by pineapples (+7%), lemons (+5%), mangos (+4%) and apples (+3%), whereas melons and grapes decreased a little (-2%).
As regards fresh vegetables, imports have increased by 1.2 million tons in the last five years.
Source: ITC Trade Map
Mexico is still the leading exporter (74%) with its tomatoes, peppers, onions and asparagus, followed by Canada (17%) which exports mainly potatoes and carrots. Peru (which ranks fourth with 3%) is increasing its onion exports.
Source: ITC Trade Map
In 2012, the fresh vegetables most imported by the US were tomatoes (1,532,718 tons), i.e. 27% of the total and with an annual growth rate of 8% in the last 5 years, followed by peppers (896,146 tons - 16%), cucumbers (12%), onions (7%), potatoes, pumpkins and courgettes (6%), cabbage (4%), asparagus and carrot (3%).
Pepper imports have grown the most (+10%), followed by asparagus, carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers (+8%), cabbage (+7%) and onions (+4%).
Exports
As regards fruit exports, 46% of US exports are destined to Canada. Mexico imports the most apples and pears and shipments of pears and oranges to China and South Korea are increasing.
Source: ITC Trade Map
99% of exported bananas is absorbed by Canada. After Canada and Mexico, the main importers are: Rest of the world (17%), Japan (7%), South Korea (6%), Hong Kong (4%), Taiwan (3%) and India and continental China (2%).
Apples are the product exported the most (870,185 tons in 2012 - 20% of the total), followed by oranges (700,365 tons -16%), bananas (12%), grapes (10%), grapefruit (5%), watermelons (5%), pears (4%), melons /4%) and strawberries (3%).
Source: ITC Trade Map
Banana and grape exports have remained the same, whereas apples and oranges (+5%), pears and strawberries (+4%) and watermelons (+3%) have grown. Grapefruit and melons have dropped by 6% and 1% respectively.
As regards fresh vegetables, exports have increased by 3% in the past five years, reaching 2,502,418 tons in 2012. Canada and Japan have considerably increased their cabbage supply from the US and celery, potato and onion exports towards Asia have also increased.
Source: ITC Trade Map
The main importer countries are Canada (71%), rest of the world (9%), Mexico (8%), Japan (7%) and South Korea (5%).
Source: ITC Trade Map
As regards the single products, potatoes are the most exported with 18% (447,590 tons), followed by "other" (17%), lettuce (15%), onions (13%), Savoy cabbage (9%), cauliflower /6%), celery (5%), carrot (5%), pepper (4%). Cauliflowers and potatoes have increased the most (11%), followed by celery and Savoy cabbage (3%), onions and peppers (1%).