Specialty crop industries on the West Coast have been awarded a significant portion of funds from the USDA's Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP), aimed at enhancing the demand for American food and farm exports globally. Initiated by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack at the behest of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, RAPP has allocated $1.2 billion over five years to assist U.S. exporters in extending their reach into emerging markets across Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and South and Southeast Asia.
Alexis Taylor, the USDA's under-secretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, highlighted the program's potential to penetrate markets such as India, which is witnessing a surge in demand for healthier and more diverse food choices among its growing middle class and younger urban populace.
Among the beneficiaries of the program's initial round of grants, which totalled nearly $1 billion in requests, are organizations promoting West Coast tree nuts—almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, and hazelnuts—receiving nearly $23.5 million combined. The American Pistachio Growers, with a $5 million grant, aim to expand their market presence in Asia, particularly in India, by enhancing distribution channels and maintaining competitive pricing. Similarly, the Almond Board of California plans to utilize its $10 million grant to target markets in India, Morocco, Turkey, Indonesia, and Brazil, focusing on regions with growing middle-class populations.
Source: farmprogress.com