Demand for fresh fruits and vegetables is expected to remain stable in the US this year despite international economic difficulties.
However, US consumers are reducing their expenditure, meaning that the level of sales in 2011 will be consistent with last year.
That was the view of Nancy Tucker, vice-president of global business development at the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) in the US, who spoke at the recent PMA Fresh Connections Peru conference.
Tucker explained that the current economic situation is different to the crisis of 2008, claiming that there is no recession this time around, according to a report by Agraria.pe.
However, she admitted that sales at high-end supermarkets could be affected, while those that offer lower prices would feel the opposite effect.
Tucker also added that the consumption of fruits and vegetables could rise this year given that consumers are looking to eat at home or dine out in less expensive restaurants, the report said.
Despite the recession of 2008, Tucker pointed out that the volume of produce sold on the US market remained stable although prices and therefore value fell.
Bananas, apples, citrus, tomatoes, lettuce and asparagus are among the most imported fresh produce items in the US, according to the PMA, with most produce sourced from Mexico, Canada, Peru, Chile and Costa Rica.
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