U.S. fruit and vegetable imports have increased significantly over the past decade, creating additional competition for domestic growers, according to John Walt Boatright with the American Farm Bureau Federation. Boatright says imports have climbed 70 percent since 2010 as American specialty crop producers face rising costs at home.
Specialty Crop Costs Increase Import Competition
Boatright points to higher labor, food safety, environmental and production costs as major challenges for U.S. growers trying to compete in an increasingly global produce market.
“Rising expenses for specialty crop producers across a lot of different categories,” Boatright said, noting that those costs include food safety regulations, labor and environmental requirements.
He said those expenses can make domestic production more difficult while increasing reliance on imported produce from other countries.
For specialty crop growers, the challenge is particularly significant because many crops are competing directly with imported products in the same markets. Higher costs can leave U.S. producers with less flexibility when competing on price.
Imports Compete During Key Marketing Windows
The increase in imports is also creating concerns when foreign-grown produce enters the U.S. market during important domestic marketing periods.
Boatright said the increase in fresh fruit and vegetable imports has put additional pressure on American growers, particularly when imported commodities arrive during established marketing windows.
“For commodities and products that are coming in during marketing windows, it directly undercuts those commodities in a lot of situations,” he said.
That competition can make it more difficult for growers to maintain market share and recover the costs associated with producing crops in the United States.
The issue comes as specialty crop producers continue to navigate higher expenses across multiple areas of production. Labor availability and costs, regulatory requirements, food safety compliance and environmental regulations can all affect the cost of bringing a crop to market.
Boatright’s comments highlight the growing challenge facing U.S. specialty crop producers as imported fruit and vegetables become a larger part of the domestic food supply.
For growers, maintaining competitiveness may depend on finding ways to manage production costs while also addressing the broader policy and regulatory factors affecting domestic agriculture.
For more on the increase in U.S. produce imports and what it means for American growers, check out the audio report below.