In the last few years, the Foreign Trade Section has been working closely 

 with the private agribusiness firms to help them launch an aggressive inter- 

 national marketing program, in an effort to create a self-sustaining export 

 momentum within the private sector. It appears that this approach has been very 

 effective, and, of late, the Massachusetts' share of U.S. agricultural exports 

 have been increasing dramatically as evidenced by the following excerpt from the 

 article "Massachusetts - Exports Outpace Production and Industrial Jobs", in the 

 September issue of Business America. 



"Massachusetts' share of U.S. agricultural exports in fiscal year 1982, 

 including some manufactures of farm origin, totaled an estimated $24 

 million, double the fiscal year 1977 level. Shipments of fruit 

 accounted for $12 million, or half of the total value. Estimated 

 sales of $3 million each were recorded for exports of unmanufactured 

 tobacco and vegetables. 



The sharp growth in exports of agricultural products from fiscal year 

 1977 to fiscal year 1982 accounted for 11 percent of the rise in farm 

 sales and added to the income of Massachusetts' fanners. In this 

 period, the export contribution to each dollar of the state's farm 

 sales increased from 6 to 8 cents. 



Exports of fishery products from Massachusetts were valued at about 

 $46 million in 1981. These shipments were two and a half times the 

 value in 1977. The majority of these overseas sales was in fresh and 

 frozen form. Small shipments of cured fish also were delivered to 

 foreign markets". (3) 



Bibliography 



1. "East Asia and Pacific Region - Growing in Importance for U.S. Agricultural 



Trade", Foreign Agriculture, December 1981, pp. 4-6. 



2. Joseph Fromm, Walter A. Taylor, Robert Kaylor, Robert S. Oudney and Ron 

 Scherer, "Pacific Rim - America's New Frontier", U.S. News and World Report, 

 August 20, 1984, pp. 45-48. 



3. "Massachusetts - Exports Outpace Production and Industrial Jobs", Business 

 America, September 3, 1984, pp. 8-10. 



Massachusetts < 

 grown...and fresher! 



39 



