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U.S. Horticultural Exports to the Middle East and North African Countries Register 5-Year Growth

U.S. exports of horticultural products in CY 2001 to the Middle East and North African countries were valued at $260 million, down slightly from the previous year, but up 15 percent from 1997.  Israel, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, and Jordan were the leading markets for most product categories. Edible tree nuts, valued at $77 million, topped the export list, followed by miscellaneous fruit and vegetables at  $65 million, deciduous fresh fruits at $27 million, and prepared and preserved vegetables at $25 million.  Other horticultural exports to these same markets with lesser values, included fruit and vegetable juices at $10 million, dried fruits at $6 million, and fresh vegetables, excluding potatoes, at $5 million.  U.S. horticultural product exports to these markets are expected to continue to increase as new market opportunities are developed. Exports are expected to benefit from duty-free access, free-trade agreements, and/or production shortfalls due to weather-related conditions.  The European Union and neighboring Middle East countries are the chief competitors for U.S. horticultural products exported to this region.

Background  

U.S. horticultural product exports to the Middle East and North African countries in CY 2001 were valued at $260 million, down 1 percent from the record value in 2000, but up 15 percent from 1997.  The growth of U.S. horticultural product exports during this 5–year period has been attributed mostly to a steady increase in shipments of edible tree nuts, miscellaneous fruit and vegetable products, and fresh vegetables, excluding potatoes.  Other horticultural exports, i.e., frozen, dried/dehydrated vegetables, miscellaneous prepared fruits and hops helped fuel the growth during this period.  During this same period, U.S. exports of wine and wine products to these markets increased to $1.2 million from $770,000 in 1997, with the Middle East countries purchasing the bulk of these sales.  Israel and the United Arab Emirates were the region’s best customers for edible tree nut exports, with U.S. sales valued at $30 million and $28 million, respectively.  Other important but smaller tree nut customers were Saudi Arabia ($8 million), Egypt ($5 million), Jordan and Lebanon ($3 million each).  U.S. exports of prepared and preserved vegetables, fresh deciduous fruits, fruits and vegetable juices and dried fruits to these markets declined slightly in 2001.   

Market Profile

Marketing of horticultural products in the Middle East and North African countries takes place primarily in outdoor street stalls.  These countries exhibit a growing demand by the wealthy for higher quality produce.  In Egypt, there have been significant changes made recently in the marketing of horticultural produce.  For example, specialty shops and supermarkets represent new and developing point-of-purchase sales outlets.  Also, domestically produced vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and melons, grown under plastic, can now be supplied virtually year round by local farmers.  In Yemen, tribal chiefs have been encouraging vegetable farmers producing Red Puna and Texas Grano varieties of onions to band together and market their onion crops in a consolidated manner.  Reportedly, these onion growers now produce and transport their onions in 1-ton trucks to distant city markets with great success.  In Morocco, most fruits and vegetables are produced and consumed fresh, with frozen vegetables being sold only in small quantities at top-notch supermarkets.  Although Morocco produces most of its own apples and pears, there is a small niche market for high quality apples and pears.  Recently, Morocco imported unspecified quantities of both apples and pears from France, Chile, and Spain.  Dried fruit and nuts (almonds, peanuts, pistachios and hazelnuts) are a major snack food in Morocco and are eaten preferably roasted with salt.  Dried prunes and raisins are not sold as snack foods, but are cooked with beef and other dishes during special occasions, which makes these products rather seasonal.  Morocco is also a large producer and exporter of fruit and vegetables.  

Algeria, a smaller buyer of U.S. horticultural products, produces and consumes most of its output of fresh fruits and vegetables.  However, Algeria imports some vegetables, such as onions, garlic, and fresh tomatoes, when the crop harvest falls below normal.  Most fresh fruits--citrus, grapes, medlar, strawberries, pears, apricots, peaches, cherries, apples, and melons--consumed in Algeria are produced locally.  Other fresh fruits, such as bananas, pineapple, kiwifruit, apples, and strawberries are imported during the off-season.  Algeria also imports some dried fruits--almonds, pistachio, peanuts, raisins, walnuts and hazelnuts--when local production does not meet local demand.  Canned fruits (pineapple, peaches, etc.) are mostly imported.  Most canned vegetables are produced and processed by locally canneries, but some are also imported.   

Key Factors Affecting the Growth of U.S. Horticultural Trade in the Middle East and North Africa

Trade Agreements 

The U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement (FTA), entered into force on December 17, 2001.  The FTA will eliminate duties and commercial barriers to bilateral trade goods and services originating in the United States and Jordan.  Current tariffs less than 5 percent will be phased out in two years.  Tariffs between 5 and 10 percent will be eliminated in 4 years and those between 10 and 20 percent will be eliminated in 5 years.  Tariffs more than 25 percent will be eliminated in ten years.  Other provisions address intellectual property rights protection, balance of payments, rules of origin, safeguards and procedural matters such as consultations and dispute settlement. 

The U.S.-Israel Agreement on Trade in Agricultural Products (ATAP), enacted in November 1996, is an auxiliary agreement to the U.S.-Israel free trade agreement.  The ATAP, a 5-year agreement, was extended through December 31, 2002, to allow both parties an opportunity to negotiate in the pursuit of further improvements in the Agreement.  The ATAP established 3 categories of coverage for U.S. products exported to Israel:  products free from tariff restrictions; products imported free of tariffs within certain quotas; and products to be imported at a preferential rate.  Among the more important products receiving duty-free treatment within tariff rate quotas (TRQ’s) are chilled and frozen beef, fresh and processed poultry, apples, grapes, pears, citrus (all types), sunflower seeds, cheese, and selected fresh and frozen vegetables.  Other provisions under the Agreement call for reductions in tariffs for U.S. wine products. 

 

On April 23, 2002, President Bush, informed His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco that the United States will work with his government to enact a U.S.-Morocco free trade agreement. Specific details and/or time frame have not been developed as of yet. 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(The FAS GAIN Report search engine contains information on U.S. Horticultural Products exports to the Middle East and North African countries.  For information on production and trade, contact Emanuel McNeil at 202-720-2083.  For information on marketing contact Steve Shnitzler at 202-702-8495).

 

  

 SELECTED U.S. HORTICULTURAL EXPORTS TO THE MIDDLE-EAST

AND NORTH AFRICA, CALENDAR YEAR, DOLLAR VALUE

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMMODITY AND

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

     DESTINATION

 

 

 

 

 

Edible Tree Nuts  1/

64,475,119

65,149,364

54,594,988

73,281,112

77,209,707

Israel

29,051,655

29,446,373

24,805,737

27,640,218

29,787,824

United Arab Emirates

16,348,868

18,694,594

15,929,030

26,320,686

28,093,344

Saudi Arabia

6,430,056

7,617,815

5,625,219

8,122,898

8,720,366

Egypt

5,384,505

4,398,825

5,468,775

5,193,732

4,725,431

Jordan

2,690,593

828,288

2,067,695

3,101,213

3,174,698

Turkey

840,177

924,846

1,035,441

1,582,061

1,633,936

Tunisia

307,300

451,156

640,684

373,075

1,487,636

Others

3,421,965

2,787,467

977,593

947,229

413,528

Fruit & Vegetables; Misc.  2/

41,796,288

53,032,609

60,867,572

63,421,252

64,704,884

Bahrain

2,106,357

1,755,143

2,380,275

2,493,057

4,188,493

Egypt

2,177,211

3,618,945

3,114,198

2,371,119

2,440,026

Israel

20,472,043

18,691,396

16,548,843

10,841,916

12,530,728

Jordan

723,518

617,536

676,756

1,774,946

1,199,398

Kuwait

823,066

3,340,671

1,738,814

4,405,550

7,074,552

Lebanon

1,409,812

1,408,661

2,536,064

4,837,983

2,060,207

Oman

793,046

1,059,187

1,177,353

1,221,196

1,913,307

Qatar

736,807

378,269

731,938

878,901

1,043,693

Saudi Arabia

6,890,278

10,162,133

17,333,355

18,011,270

16,167,575

Turkey

480,831

1,947,405

3,475,758

3,492,138

1,614,718

United Arab Emirates

4,208,583

7,792,333

9,599,516

11,743,155

14,006,442

Others

40,821,552

50,771,679

59,312,870

62,071,231

64,239,139

Vegetables; Prep. Or Pres.   3/

28,483,907

29,331,509

27,816,414

30,570,151

24,519,744

Bahrain

777,018

823,014

542,076

956,544

885,755

Egypt

405,092

390,888

591,503

218,231

318,460

Israel

4,276,534

4,394,357

5,120,252

7,102,187

4,538,207

Jordan

319,412

294,902

248,870

695,944

508,602

Kuwait

3,116,053

3,173,391

3,062,272

3,348,745

4,009,404

Lebanon

1,428,867

1,273,278

908,869

543,979

597,202

Oman

1,654,167

1,668,261

850,927

907,451

595,672

Qatar

407,410

415,767

734,265

508,517

680,780

Saudi Arabia

10,291,209

10,222,278

9,915,009

10,578,678

8,268,797

United Arab Emirates

4,779,951

5,586,653

4,873,145

3,398,762

3,630,500

Yemen

338,942

355,413

351,060

189,125

178,051

Others

689,252

733,307

618,166

2,121,988

308,314

Fresh Fruits; Deciduous  4/

34,241,616

39,871,939

40,499,986

29,458,026

27,078,781

Bahrain

462,218

555,468

590,041

1,118,716

422,820

Egypt

2,314,818

1,742,079

5,256,247

2,253,937

2,476,208

Israel

4,793,638

3,082,716

6,676,092

2,262,890

3,230,654

Kuwait

2,111,560

1,507,292

1,522,460

1,455,460

1,434,616

Saudi Arabia

14,135,153

18,445,093

15,785,454

9,825,514

6,090,000

United Arab Emirates

10,424,229

14,150,529

10,327,936

11,941,199

12,735,570

Others

0

388,762

341,756

600,310

688,913

Fruit & Vegetable Juices  5/

7,789,127

8,112,141

11,398,020

10,983,020

9,720,429

Bahrain

83,701

50,070

212,869

96,421

416,951

Israel

1,890,996

2,069,105

5,479,710

4,637,325

2,320,190

Kuwait

81,354

80,238

72,073

216,338

315,558

Lebanon

260,669

188,294

228,779

116,407

309,950

Oman

112,453

174,744

52,428

102,192

381,149

Saudi Arabia

1,433,566

1,562,733

1,663,824

1,640,687

1,406,727

United Arab Emirates

3,240,455

3,388,905

3,306,050

3,841,296

4,355,889

Others

685,933

598,052

383,108

332,354

214,015

Fresh Vegetables  6/

3,038,093

2,992,923

3,703,818

4,522,400

5,352,112

Bahrain

145,598

13,500

19,952

12,764

73,460

Israel

333,259

48,548

168,812

102,341

265,794

Kuwait

774,977

811,167

1,234,208

2,137,581

2,250,115

Saudi Arabia

147,515

129,677

156,436

307,965

425,619

United Arab Emirates

1,547,483

1,918,213

1,864,372

1,837,134

2,232,675

Others

89,261

71,818

260,038

124,615

104,449

Dried Fruit  7/

7,025,848

6,978,720

6,415,537

7,143,494

6,276,023

Egypt

973,508

950,489

978,183

1,010,184

410,091

Israel

4,203,896

4,201,132

4,240,316

4,469,551

4,711,662

Saudi Arabia

641,216

677,408

353,475

508,324

375,689

Turkey

451,405

486,437

539,111

542,454

468,459

United Arab Emirates

205,103

427,833

130,147

429,389

183,826

Others

550,720

235,421

174,305

183,592

126,296

ALL OTHERS

40,905,348

42,669,321

49,978,859

43,994,596

45,327,192

GRAND TOTAL

226,781,838

248,138,526

255,275,194

263,374,051

260,188,872

Source:  U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.  1/ Edible tree nuts (mostly almonds, walnuts, pecans, and small quantities of pistachios); . 2/ Fruit & Vegetables; Misc (potato chips, frozen and other food preps, mixed seasonings, and beer/malt); .  3/ Vegetables; Prep. Or Pres (tomato ketchup, sauce and paste, and canned tomatoes, sweet corn and beans, and potatoes nes); 4/ Fresh Fruits; Deciduous (mostly apples and pears); 5/ Fruit & Vegetable Juices  (frozen orange juice, apple and grape juice and mixed fruit juices); 6/ Fresh Vegetables  (carrots, onions, lettuce, sweet corn and beans); 7/ Dried Fruit (mostly raisins/prunes, and apples). 


Last modified: Sunday, March 17, 2013