U.S. Agriculture Still Posting A Trade Surplus
Roger Bernard is Farm Journal Policy & Washington Editor.
Trade data released by USDA indicate U.S. agriculture registered a $3.073 billion trade surplus in February 2010.
Exports valued at $9.227 billion far exceeded imports valued at $6.154 billion. In February 2009, U.S. agriculture registered a trade surplus of $1.428 billion.
For the fiscal year to date (October 2009-February 2010), the value of U.S. exports has totaled $49.064 billion while imports have tallied $30.744 billion, for a trade surplus of $18.320 billion. That compares to a surplus for the same period a year ago of $11.737 billion.
In breaking down the data, the value of exports has risen so far this fiscal year compared to the same period last year while the value of imports has actually fallen.
The U.S. ag trade surplus started to perk up in October 2009, rising from $1.8 billion in September 2009 to $3.45 billion in October. That increase came as the value of U.S. exports surged in October to $9.412 billion from $7.3 billion in September.
But the value of U.S. imports rose in October from September, though at a far smaller pace than the value of exports increased.
Read the full article at http://www.agweb.com/get_article.aspx?src=gennews&pageid=156894.
