US fruit exports trying to catch up to imports

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Total US fruit exports (including fresh, dried, frozen, canned, juice and wine) hit $7.6bn in 2010, compared to $15bn in imports according to the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). The growth of imports has been attributed to growing ethnic minority populations and increased demand for new products, which has brought new levels of demand for domestic producers but also increased the volume of foreign-grown fruit in US markets.