The US imported 22.7 million tons of fresh fruits and vegetables in 2023. Mexico was its main supplier, accounting for 50% of the total imported, followed by Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Canada. Spain was the leading EU supplier to the US market with 29,674 tons.
The United States imported 11.4 million tons of fresh fruits and vegetables from Mexico, which accounted for 50% of the total. Mexico was followed by Guatemala with 2.8 million tons, Costa Rica with 1.9 million tons, and Canada with 1.7 million tons. Together, these four countries account for 78% of US fruit and vegetable imports.
The ranking of US supplier countries continues with Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Honduras, Colombia, Argentina, South Africa, the Dominican Republic, China, Panama, Brazil, Morocco, New Zealand, and Spain, according to the United Nations database on commodity trade COMTRADE -ONU consulted by Fepex.
Spain ranks 18th but was the leading supplier from the EU and Europe with 29,674 tons in 2023. It was followed by Italy, which ranked 23rd with 17,555 tons, Greece, which occupies the 24th position with 15,953 tons, and the Netherlands, which ranked 29th with 9,038 tons.
Spanish and EU fruit and vegetable exports to the United States are very limited, largely due to the phytosanitary barriers - in the form of phytosanitary export protocols- imposed by the American administration on the entry of certain products.
Last week, for example, the US administration unilaterally decided to suspend Spanish pepper imports. This decision mainly affects Almeria, as currently only this province and Alicante could export pepper to the United States. This will cause serious damage to companies that had planned pepper exports to the United States during this season, which began on December 1 and will end around April 30. Coexphal, Fepex, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food have initiated various actions to recover this export window that has been open for just over a month.
For more information: www.fepex.es