Apr 8, 2014
Fresh fruit exports increase in 2013

Fiscal year 2013 proved to be another record-breaking year for U.S. agricultural exports, according to USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

In fiscal year 2013, U.S. agricultural exports increased by $5 billion, bringing the total value to approximately $141 billion and supporting nearly one million U.S. jobs, according to APHIS.

Total U.S. exports of fresh fruit increased to $5.1 billion in 2013, from $4.9 billion in 2012. APHIS plant health programs contributed directly to this continued growth in total exports. The agency worked with trading partners and U.S. growers to identify practical, technical solutions that would allow it to retain access to other valuable markets for U.S. crops. For example, APHIS reached agreements with South Korea allowing the export of U.S. cherries ($74 million per year) and the continued export of California citrus ($150 million per year) with mitigations for pests of concern. APHIS also gained approval for the export of all cherry varieties to Japan, including those produced under a systems approach that has been widely adopted in the Pacific Northwest and California ($15 million per year).

APHIS also worked with the U.S. pear industry for market access to China. U.S. pear exports to China totaled $2.7 million in 2013, up from $44,000 in 2012. And the European grapevine moth (EGVM) program in California, representing an industry-driven approach to control, continues to be a highlight, enabling the continued export of U.S. grapes ($844 million per year) and protecting California’s grape and tree fruit industry, valued at $5.7 billion, according to APHIS.




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