U.S. AGRICULTURAL TRADE UPDATE                               February 9, 1996
               Approved by the World Agricultural Outlook Board
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U.S. AGRICULTURAL TRADE UPDATE is published monthly by the Economic Research
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20005-4788.  FAU-0196.  
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NOTE: Release of this report, scheduled for January 23, 1996, was delayed
because of furloughs at the U.S. Department of Commerce, which provides data
for this report.
 
January-November Exports - U.S. agri-cultural exports for January-November 1995
were $50.5 billion, 24 percent higher than a year earlier, reflecting strong
feed grain, soybean, animal product, and horticultural demand.  During 1995,
U.S. bulk commodity exports benefited from record 1994/95 production and high
prices due to strong domestic and global demand.  Heavy U.S. feed use and corn
imports by China were key factors.  High-value products gained on higher beef,
poultry, horticultural, vegetable oil, hide, and fat exports.  For the month of
November, total agricultural exports were $5.2 billion, 12 percent higher than
November 1994.  Imports were steady at $2.6 billion, and the resulting
agricultural trade surplus was almost $2.7 billion.  
 
Animal product exports gained broadly.  Meats, about 40 percent of animal
product exports, surged as year-to-date beef exports jumped 16 percent to $2.4
billion and poultry meats surged 29 percent to $1.8 billion.  Strong demand for
beef in the Pacific Rim countries (especially Japan) and rising poultry
consumption in Russia were behind the increase.  Dairy, fat and oil, and hide
and skin exports totaled $3 billion, 22 percent over 1994.
 
Year-to-date horticultural product exports gained 6 percent over this time last
year, reaching $8.2 billion.  Fruit export value rose slightly despite reduced
volume.  U.S. production of apples, peaches, and pears in 1995 was down,
lowering January-November export volume.  Shipments of fruit to Mexico fell,
but
demand for oranges, apples, grapes, and other fruits was strong in the Pacific
Rim.  Higher prices pushed year-to-date vegetable export value up 5 percent to
$3.6 billion.  Fresh vegetable shipments declined 6 percent in volume but value
increased 6 percent.  Celery and lettuce gained the most.  Potatoes, destined
for Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong, were the driving force behind a 27-percent
increase in frozen vegetable export value.
 
Year-to-date wheat exports totaled 29.6 million tons, compared with 27.7
million
tons this time in 1994, up 7 percent.  Value rose $1.3 billion to $4.9 billion. 
Egypt led buyers, taking 4.7 million tons, followed by China at 3.6 million
tons.  Japan was third with 2.6 million tons.  In November, Egypt purchased
382,000 tons, Pakistan 348,000 tons, and Japan 219,000 tons, of 2.9 million
tons
shipped.
 
January-November corn exports were 55.3 million tons, 82 percent greater than
in
1994.  Favorable world prices boosted value by 95 percent to $6.6 billion. 
Japan bought 14.7 million tons; Korea and Taiwan followed with 8.4 and 5.6
million tons, respectively.  China's purchases reached 5.3 million tons.  For
November, corn exports totaled 5.1 million tons.  Japan was the leading buyer,
taking 1.5 million tons.  Korea bought 530,000 tons.
 
Soybean shipments for January-November totaled 20.3 million tons, 33 percent
higher than last year.  Value jumped 28 percent to $4.7 billion.  The European
Union (EU-15) was the leading buyer at 8.2 million tons, followed by Japan with
3.6 million, Taiwan at 2.3 million, and Mexico at 1.9 million tons.  November
purchases totaled 2.3 million tons, with the EU-15 taking 1.1 million tons,
Japan 383,000 tons, and Taiwan 290,000 tons.
 
Imports - January-November agricultural imports of $2.6 billion were 13 percent
higher than the same period last year.  Vegetable imports surged; fresh
vegetable imports jumped 34 percent, mostly due to higher shipments from Mexico
resulting from the peso devaluation, a drop in domestic Mexican demand, and a
good supply of tomatoes from the Baja region.  Imports of cucumbers, eggplants,
squash, snap beans, and peppers from Mexico were also higher this year.  Coffee
and rubber volume and value were both above 1994 to date.  (Tom Capehart,
202-219-1262)
 
Record High-Value Product Exports in FY 1995 - High-value products (HVP's) did
well in fiscal 1995, gaining 16 percent over fiscal 1994; a record $30.1
billion.  Red meat exports to the Pacific Rim and frozen chicken to Russia,
Hong
Kong, and Japan contributed to HVP gains.  Fresh vegetables to Canada and
processed (primarily frozen) vegetables to Japan boosted the horticultural
component of HVP exports.  Strong demand for vegetable oil in China, hides and
skins in East Asian markets, and feeds and fodders to the EU-15 all contributed
to a surge in intermediate HVP exports.
 
 
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