Source: USDA, U.S. Waterborne Containerized Agricultural Trade.
Containerized agricultural trade, which includes imports and exports, has steadily been increasing. About 74% of agricultural imports are containerized, while 24% of exports are. This underlines very different commercial dynamics. The dominant containerized imports involve bananas, beverages, fruits, and vegetables, while the main exports are soybeans, animal feed, and cotton. The imports are mainly bound for urban markets, while the exports are coming from inland agricultural regions.
Agricultural trade declined in 2021 due to the surge in containerized imports involving retail goods and the pressure to reposition them across the Pacific as soon as possible, undermining the availability of containers for exports.