International Resources: US Market and Trends Information

U.S. Trade Resources

Do you export to or import from the United States? The following resources will help you better understand U.S. trade regulations, U.S. fresh fruit and vegetable availability and seasonality, U.S. free trade agreements, and more:

• Summary of Records Establishment and Maintenance Regulation
  PMA prepared a summary of the Records Establishment/ Maintenance section of the Bioterrorism Act of 2002. This is available to PMA members only.
• PMA Overview: Wood Packaging Material Regulations
  The U.S. Department of Agriculture has amended the regulations for the importation of wood packaging materials. Due to the produce industry's reliance on these materials, PMA developed this overview document that details the new rules.
• Fact Sheets:
  • Fresh Produce Exports
    While exports of most fresh vegetables remained unchanged in 2004, leaf lettuce jumped 12%.
  • Fresh Produce Imports
    Continued U.S. demand for imported vegetables was highlighted in 2004 by a 25% increase in imports from China.
  • Vegetable Availability Chart
    View peak, average, and light seasons of availability in the United States for 26 commodities
  • Fruit Availability Chart
    View peak, average, and light seasons of availability in the United States for 26 commodities.
  • Importing Fresh Produce Into United States (Exporting Produce from Other Countries
    Step-by-step procedure for exporting produce into the U.S. Almost 20% of fresh produce consumed in the United States in 2004 was exported from other countries
• Free Trade Agreements Analysis
  To help its members understand global marketplace dynamics, PMA has prepared this analysis of current ;U.S. Free Trade Agreements and Regional Free Trade Agreements.
• For more information on trading with the U.S. members can contact the Information Resource Center at no charge

U.S. Market & Trends Information

Whether you are starting to investigate entering the United States fresh produce market or you have been trading with the U.S. for years, PMA’s resources help you gain a better understanding of market and consumer trends affecting the industry.

• U.S. Supply Chain Flow Chart
  This chart shows how product flows throughout the produce supply chain in the United States.
• Fact Sheets:
  • Fresh Produce Consumption
    While overall fresh fruit consumption in the U.S. changed little in 2005, grape consumption jumped 10%.
  • Fresh Produce Demographics
    While all consumers are spending more on retail fresh produce, Asians annually spend $688 compared to $387 by whites.
  • Fresh Floral Sales
    Supermarkets capture 18% of $17 billion fresh floral markets in 2005
  • Retail Produce Industry Sales
    Retail fresh produce industry sales approach $55 billion
  • Organic Fresh Produce Industry
    Organic produce sales exceed $5 billion in the United States in 2005.
  • Food Industry Consolidation
    From 1999 to 2005, Wal-Mart's share of retail grocery sales in the U.S. jumped from 3.9% to 24.7%.
• For more information on the U.S. market & consumer trends members can contact the Information Resource Center at no charge.
• The following PMA products available for purchase also pertain to U.S. trends:
  • Consumer Research Online Subscription
    Access an ever-growing library of consumer research studies that help you understand what consumers really want, what attracts and motivates them to buy, and how you can satisfy their current needs and anticipate changing preferences.
  • Inside the Minds of Retailers and Consumers: Views on Produce Safety and Organics
    Understand retailer and consumer views on the safety and availability of conventional, organic and locally grown fresh produce – and how to profit from these trends.
  • Produce Packaging: A Means to Increase Sales
    Learn how to use packaging as a marketing tool by drawing on this combination of independently conducted research, trend data and insights from industry experts.