An agri economist has highlighted the growing reliance of the United States on foreign fresh produce, attributing this trend to a widening agricultural trade deficit. According to Loren Koeman of the Michigan Farm Bureau, the percentage of fruit imported into the U.S. has seen a significant increase, from less than 15 percent three decades ago to approximately 50 percent currently.
Koeman projects that if current trends persist, this figure could surpass 70 percent in the next thirty years. He pointed out the challenges faced by American farmers in competing with increasing imports, especially from countries capable of year-round production. Koeman emphasized the need for the U.S. to address issues like rising farm labor costs and to strengthen trade agreements to prevent market saturation by cheaper imports during local growing seasons. The agricultural trade deficit, as reported by the USDA, has recently escalated to $32 billion, largely due to a surge in imported fresh fruits and vegetables.
Source: brownfieldagnews.com