Cherries and apples played a large part in the growth of agricultural exports from Washington in 2007, which were valued at $9.26 billion (£4.66bn).
The figure represented a 38 per cent increase on the State’s 2006 statistic, according to a release from the state department of agriculture.
Several factors, including a weak dollar and lower production in competitive areas around the globe, have helped to boost Washington’s international business.
And in a State that relies heavily on its agricultural sector for economic stability, the rise in exports is a major boost. About 30 per cent of cherries and apples grown in the Yakima Valley are exported. The domestic market is growing at only about one per cent annually, and the emergence of a burgeoning middle class in countries such as India and Mexico is having a positive impact.
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