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According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), total imports of pineapple and pineapple products (fresh, canned, juice) into the United States were up 12% in volume during the first quarter of 2010 from imports during the first quarter in 2009. The growth in imports during the first 3 months was attributed to a 28% increase in pineapples coming into the United States for the fresh market. Imports of canned pineapples and pineapple juice were down 12% and 24% respectively.
Fresh pineapple imports have been up significantly from the United States’ top two suppliers – Costa Rica and Mexico. Sharply larger shipments have also been coming in from other leading suppliers such as Panama, the Philippines, and Thailand, and moderately higher quantities from Honduras, last year’s fourth largest supplier of fresh pineapples to the United States.
Approximately 80% of all fresh pineapples imported into the United States are from Costa Rica.
Domestic demand for fresh pineapples has been trending up over the past two decades and imports have made it all possible for meeting the growth in this market. Last year, domestic fresh-pineapple demand remained relatively unchanged from the past two years despite economic recession, with per capita consumption estimated at 5 pounds per person. The higher supply over the first few months of 2010 have driven down pineapple prices at the retail level. USDA data from January – April of 2010 show that pineapple prices were averaging 4 % lower than 2009 and down an average of 9% from the average prices in January through April 2009.
Costa Rican supplies in the U.S. Market in April (2010) while higher than earlier in the year, have fallen below levels of the same time in 2009. Consumers were paying less per pineapple than they did in 2009. The average pineapple retail price in April of 2008 was $2.95 each, down from the $3.20 average in April 2009 and while retail prices have strengthened in early May of 2010, prices are averaging about $ .19 cheaper per pineapple.
Source: Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook / FTS – 342 / May 28, 2010 … Economics Research Service, USDA – U.S. Department of Commerce. U.S. Census