Exotic Crops Lead to Increased Trade

We all need vegetables in our diets, but many people also base their entire business off of these healthy foods. Research from the University of Massachusetts shows that the United States vegetable industry is beginning to be heavily influenced by other regions. This is good news for farmers all over the world. Supermarkets and restaurants are looking to expand their markets by offering more exotic options. Areas like Africa, Asia and Latin America produce several exotic vegetables that the United States has started to take interest in. This could help smaller countries who are heavily dependant on agriculture and are looking to increase their exports.

The exotic foods interest will certainly increase trade, but local farmers will benefit as well. Farmers often find trouble if they do not have a variety of crops and one of them has a bad season. Now, they can invest in growing several other types of crops, including some of the popular exotic ones, to make them more diversified. This will force farmers to reinvent their businesses in order to tailor what they grow to the new demands of the customers.

The United States is certainly not the only country diversifying its palate; Britain has also recently begun to explore the exotic foods market. Many British farmers are beginning to export their exotic crops to other areas in Europe such as Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. Farmers in England are just now beginning to take advantage of their favorable weather conditions to sell to other areas in Europe that struggle more to grow their own crops. This should produce new trade leads for English farmers.

The food and beverage industry will definitely benefit from this increased interest in exotic foods leading to more worldwide trade.