High-Value Food Products Boost Agricultural Exports

U .S. exports of high-value agricultural products (HVP's) reached a record $24 billion in fiscal 1993, accounting for over half of total U.S. agricultural exports of $42.6 billion. Continuing the trend of surpassing bulk commodity exports since fiscal 1991, the gap has kept growing. In fiscal 1994, HVP exports probably topped $25 billion, with the margin between HVP and bulk exports expected to broaden to nearly $8 billion. But the growth has not been even among HVP's. "High-value" is a term given to a group of agricultural products, generally those with value added through processing (such as soybean oil) or because they require special handling or shipping (such as fresh fruit). High-value products can be grouped into two categories-intermediate commodities and consumer food products. Intermediate commodities are those that have been partially processed (such as soybean meal and cattle hides) or those used as inputs on the farm (such as seeds and animal feeds) or used by food manufacturers (such as flour and sweeteners).Consumer food products are primarily shipped for consumption in the retail market and foodservice sectors in the importing country. These include highly processed foods and beverages (such as condiments, wine and beer, processed meats, and frozen dinners) and less processed foods (such as fresh fruit, vegetables, and meats). (Fish, seafood, and distilled liquor exports are not included in this data set.)