93 



Canadian Imports Grow 22 

 Percent in 1992 



According to the 1992 Fiscal Year Supplement 

 on Foreign Agriculture Trade of the United 

 States (FATUS), the total Canadian agriculture 

 trade surplus with the U.S. in 1990 was $376 

 million. In 1991, that total dropped to $231 

 million, largely due to much lower prices for 

 commodities. Although the value of Canadian 

 agricultural exports to the United States declined 

 by 15 percent from 1990 to 1991— dropping from 

 $11.9 billion to $10.1 bOlion-the volume of 

 exports to the U.S. exceeded the previous year. 

 Wheat prices were down 30 percent and rice was 

 down 10 percent. The average price of wheat 

 on the farm in the U.S. was $3.72 per bushel in 



1990 as compared with $2.61 per bushel in 1991. 



Major agricultural imports from Canada 

 increased from $3,096 billion in 1990 to $3215 

 billion in 1991 and jumped 22 percent from FY 



1991 to 1992, reaching a total of $3.93 billion. 

 These commodities include cattle, beef, pork, 

 grains, feed grains, oilseeds and other products 

 (the oilseeds imports would be primarily canola, 

 which is enjoying increased consumption in the 

 U.S., but is not being widely produced in the 

 U.S.). 



Canada was the source for about 18 percent of 

 all U.S. agricultural imports in 1992. The rate 

 of growth of Canadian agricultural exports, up 

 22 percent from 1991 to 1992, was greater than 

 the growth rate of any other U.S. trading 

 partner among the top 10 (USDA's 1992 

 'Foreign Agricultural Trade of the United 

 States"). 



Dakota Department of Agriculture, show that 

 Canada's total wheat shipments, including 

 durum, enjoyed a generally steady rate of 

 growth from 1983 to 1988, with a range of 23 

 million bushels to 17.5 million bushels. Durum 

 exports alone climbed from zero to 6 million 

 bushels during that time. 



Since 1989, shipments of Canadian wheat and 

 durum to the U.S. have exploded. According to 

 the Canadian Trade Commission, in 1991-92, all 

 wheat shipments reached 30.8 million bushels, 

 including 13.8 million bushels of durum. Figures 

 available through February 1993 indicate that all 

 wheat exports were already a record at 362 

 million bushels, and durum exports were at a 

 record-setting pace. The figures for durum at 



Canadian Grain Imports Climb 



Following Free Trade Agreement 



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the end of February were at 13 J million bushels, 

 with a strong potential for exceeding 14 million 

 bushels for the first time in history. 



WHEAT AND DURUM-- 

 THE FIRST BLOW 



Canadian Wheat Imports Climb, 

 U.S. Prices Fall 



Figures from the Canadian Grain Commission, 

 obtained with the cooperation of the North 



The primary durum-growing area in the VS. is 

 in the upper Midwest, with the greatest 

 concentration in North Dakota. The primary 

 durum area in Canada is directly across the 

 border from North Dakota. Most of the durum 

 grown in North Dakota is shipped to terminals 

 on the Great Lakes. Many of the durum 

 shipments from Canada to the U.S. end up in 

 the same terminals as North Dakota durum. 

 This has a significant price-dampening effect on 

 the U.S. market. 



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73-024 0-94-4 



