Increased attention among consumers to the healthfulness and environmental footprint of their diet has expanded opportunities for organic products both in the US and abroad. These developments have major implications for international trade. In just a little over a decade, the total value of imported organic products has nearly tripled from $667 million in 2011 to about $2 billion in 2023 (Figure 1). Over this same time period, U.S. exports have increased from $412 million to $582 million.
Most highly traded products
On the export side (Figure 2), the majority of organic trade is in fruits and vegetables. These products accounted for about 60% and 30% of exports in 2023, respectively. Things have evolved differently on the import side. In 2011, U.S. organic imports were dominated by coffee and tea. These products accounted for about 84% of imports at that time. Today, coffee and tea represent only 34% of US organic imports. This is not to say that these imports have disappeared. In fact, the value of coffee and tea imports has increased from $563 to $673 million over the time period. So, the decline in the import share of coffee and tea is actually due to the rapid expansion in the import of other organic products — namely fruit, which accounted for about 50% of organic imports in 2023.
US organic trade partners
Canada is the largest market for US organic products (annually importing $7 million), followed by Mexico ($4 million), Japan ($0.9 million), Taiwan ($0.7 million), and South Korea ($0.4 million). In terms of organic imports, Mexico is our largest trade partner (sending $11 million worth of organic products to the US per year). Peru, Colombia, and Honduras are the second, third, and fourth largest players, annually sending about $9 million, $7 million, and $7 million worth of organic products to the US per year, respectively.
Source: farmprogress.com