US agricultural exports hit record high: $177 billion

The United States exported a record $177 billion worth of agricultural products last year. That is 18 percent more than in corona year 2020, when international trade faced major transport problems. In addition, the 15% is more than the last record year, 2014, according to new data from the US Department of Commerce.

China, Mexico, Canada, South Korea, the Philippines and Colombia all imported more U.S. agricultural commodities than ever before, especially many soybeans, corn, beef, pork, dairy and grains. 

“This is a major boost to the economy as a whole, and in particular to our rural communities, as agricultural exports boost local economic activity, help maintain our global competitive advantage, support producer profits and support more than 1.3 million jobs on the farms and in related sectors such as food processing and transportation," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement released Tuesday.

The massive global trade flow took place despite remaining supply chain bottlenecks over the past year. The transport situation has become especially dire for difficult container transport from the US west coast to Asia. 

There is currently so much demand for transport worldwide that shippers do not have their emptied containers 'circumvented' in American ports to other American ports to collect (American export) cargo, but immediately return them (empty) to Asia.

China imported a record amount of US soybeans and other commodities last year, in part as a result of former President Trump's mega deal with the Chinese. China imported $33 billion worth of US agricultural commodities, an increase of 25% from 2020.