Idaho food and agriculture exports for the first six months of the year are up 15 percent from 2011, when the state set a record for export sales.
According to the Idaho Department of Agriculture, the state’s top agricultural export sector is dairy, which is up 10 percent over the first six months of 2011. Dairy products account for over 35 percent of Idaho’s total agriculture exports.
Top export markets for Idaho food and agriculture are Canada, up 14 percent; Mexico, up 32 percent; China, up 73 percent; Japan, down 12 percent; and South Korea, up 98 percent.
Officials say several factors have contributed to growth in those key markets, including a favorable exchange rate, trade agreements that reduce tariffs and export barriers, growing consumer demand, and strong commodity prices.
It’s estimated that over 25 percent of Idaho’s agriculture products are exported to foreign markets.
Total exports from Idaho through June reached $2.7 billion. (Idaho Department of Agriculture)
