Question: Global Fruit
Global Goodness: Fresh fruit choices at any grocery store in the United States include the standard fare of apples, oranges, and grapes. But you also find more exotic items, such as star fruit and papaya. How do tropical fruits find their way to grocery shelves in the dead of winter? And why can we purchase a gallon of orange juice when Florida and California farmers have been hit with an early frost? We have the global economy to thank for turning the produce aisle into a perpetual smorgasbord, continuously delivering fruits from around the world.
From There to Here: For many fruits, the trip from field to market involves a specific process of packing and shipping. For example, bananas leave Costa Rica and other Central and South American countries
packed in boxes weighing about 40 pounds each. Roughly 970 boxes fit into a refrigerated cargo container, which is then placed aboard a ship. The bananas must remain at a temperature of around 57ºF to keep them from ripening while in transit. Bananas take two to seven days to reach U.S. ports. There the cargo containers full of not-yet-ripe bananas are taken to different warehouse locations around the country. Before the bananas can be sent to your local supermarket, however, they must spend some time in special "ripening rooms." Considering this lengthy journey, bananas seem like quite a bargain at less than fifty cents per pound.
From Here to There: Americans not only buy fruits-we sell them, too. The United States is the world's fifth-largest fruit producer and the largest exporter of fresh fruit. Canada is our biggest customer, importing
47 percent of all U.S. fresh fruit exports. U.S. producers also export to Japan, Hong Kong, the European Union, and South Korea, among others. Yet the United States faces new competitors in the fruit trade. Mexico, China, Chile, and South Africa all impact the marketplace as they expand their reach.
What Does It Mean For You?
Global trade provides you with your favorite fruits throughout the year. While most U.S. fields and orchards lie dormant during winter, countries in the Southern Hemisphere are harvesting and shipping their summer crops. The worldwide competition also means lower prices for you and other fruit lovers. In addition, you now have more choices. The global exchange allows new and unusual fruits to make their way to U.S. stores for curious palates.
Analyzing the Issue Question
1. Identifying What country is the largest buyer of U.S. fruit?
2. Analyzing What are concerns about shipping fresh fruit from other countries?
3. Applying Check out the fruit section of your local grocery store. What fruit is available because of global trade?