Strong foreign demand for fruits and nuts has the United States
Department of Agriculture predicating exports to hit record highs
this year, and local growers are hoping to cash in on the
windfall.
Hollister – Strong foreign demand for fruits and nuts has the United States Department of Agriculture predicating exports to hit record highs this year, and local growers are hoping to cash in on the windfall.
The national export of tree nuts alone is expected to jump to a record $3.1 billion in 2006, up nearly $700 million from last year, according a report released by the USDA last week. The report shows increasing demand for almonds, walnuts and other tree nuts grown in California, plus improved exports of apples, grapes and other fresh fruits and vegetables. Less competition from other countries, especially Spain, is one cause of the increased demand, according to the report.
In San Benito County, a select few farmers ship outside the country. And while the majority of the fruits and nuts grown in San Benito County are sold locally, foreign markets create additional opportunities for area growers, said Gordon McClelland, a senior agriculture biologist with the county Agriculture Commissioners Officer.
“This a good thing,” McClelland said Thursday. “It’s another outlet for (growers) to market their specific commodities.”
Earthbound Farm, the largest grower and shipper of organic produce in North America, is hoping the increased demand translates into increased sales, said spokeswoman Julie Morris. Earthbound Farm, located in San Juan Bautista, ships its products throughout the country and abroad to Canada and Mexico, two of the country’s largest importers of agricultural products.
“When demand goes up, our sales go up,” Morris said. “Earthbound has seen an increase in sales every year since we started. Organic produce is usually tied to market standards, but people are willing to pay a premium for it.”
Baby carrots and sliced apples are two of the company’s hottest exports, and Morris said she expects them to continue selling briskly abroad.
“The sliced apples are so popular that we’ve had supply issues,” she said. “We’ve had to struggle to find more organic apples to meet the demand.”
Increased sales could mean increased profits for local growers and their counterparts statewide, according to experts at the California Farm Bureau Federation.
