The United States is one of the largest tomato producers in the world, but imports play an important role in satisfying demand for fresh tomatoes, as most US production is destined for the processed market.
A new study by University of Arizona Cooperative Extension and the UA's Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, says imported fresh tomatoes from Mexico contributed $4.8 billion in sales to the US economy in 2016. The US imported 3.4 billion pounds of fresh tomatoes from Mexico in 2016, valued at $1.9 billion in terms of customs value.
Some highlights show US and Canadian imports of fresh tomatoes from Mexico supported:
- Nearly 33,000 US jobs
- $2.9 billion in US gross domestic product
- $1.4 billion in employee compensation and $353 million in business owner income
- $400 million in federal tax revenue and $350 million in state and local tax revenues
The study was supported by and in cooperation with the Fresh Produce Association of Arizona.
The full study can be found on the UA College of Agriculture and Life Sciences website.