**U.S. Planting Seed Trade*March 1997

*Image:* U.S. Planting SeedExports by Group 

 U.S. planting seed exports during the July-November periodtotaled 377,389 metric tons valued at $302.3 million, increasesof 53 and 29 percent, respectively, over the same period lastyear. This is 17 percent above the previous record for the periodset in 1992. Imports reached 52,636 tons valued at $105.1million, also a new record for imports by value. 

Grass seed exports increased 19 percent in volume to 17,994tons and 23 percent in value to $24.0 million. Annual ryegrassseed led in both volume and value despite a 1-percent decline involume. Imports of grass seed surged 30 percent in volume to13,787 tons and 49 percent to $16.3 million. Red fescue seedincreased 18 percent in volume and 49 percent in value,accounting for just over half the volume and just short of halfthe value of total grass seed imports. 

Exports for species within the other forage seed group reached9,942 tons valued at $23.9 million, increases of 44 and 69percent, respectively. Alfalfa seed, both certified anduncertified, made important gains in both volume and value.Imports for the group as a whole and the major species weresharply lower. Import volume was off 42 percent while value wasjust behind, off 38 percent. Both alfalfa types recorded similardeclines. 

The pulse seed group continued its new export trend withshipments up 51 percent in volume to 22,580 tons and 44 percentin value to $17.6 million. Declines in pea seed and gram beanseed were more than matched by surges in all kidney bean seed andchickpea seed. Imports in pulse were mixed with volume down 18percent while value increased 6 percent. 

The vegetable seed groups reversed earlier trends reachinginto last year by posting increases in both volume (14 percent to17,145 tons) and value (1 percent to $83.9 million). Results forindividual vegetable species were mixed. Vegetable seed importscontinued to increase, reaching 3,230 tons (up 25 percent) and$36.0 million (up 15 percent). 

Field crop seed exports continued to climb, fueled primarilyby soybean seed and non-durum wheat seed. Total volume surged 60percent to 307,566 tons valued at $127.9 million. Soybean seed,still benefitting by crushers in Mexico, reached 142,759 tonsvalued at $46.0 million, both increases nearing the 400 percentmark. Non-durum wheat seed exports are also climbing rapidly withvolume up 90 percent to 111,827 tons and value up 189 percent to$22.9 million. 

Three unexpected destinations account for this surge in wheatseed exports: Canada, 58,095 tons valued at $12.5 millioncompared to 21,300 tons valued at $4.5 million for all of1995/96; Philippines, 20,448 tons valued at $3.3 million comparedto 230 tons valued at $63,301 last year; and Japan, 29,585 tonsvalued at $5.7 million compared to 21 tons valued at $12,997 lastyear. Field crop seed imports were increased 9 percent to 11,242tons and 66 percent to $9.1 million primarily as a result ofsurging field corn seed shipments which more than doubled inquantity and value. 

Flower seed exports surged 69 percent in volume to 204 tonsand 26 percent in value to $16.3 million. Import growth was muchslower in volume, 38 percent to 189 tons but faster in value, 32percent to $24.9 million. 

Mexico continued as the best export market for planting seeds,still driven by soybeans mis-registered as seed, surging 198percent to 174,299 tons and 80 percent valued at $96.1 million.After Mexico, the top ten markets included (with data listed inmillion dollars): Canada (28.3), Japan (28.3), Italy (25.1),Argentina (17.8), France (11.2), the Netherlands (7.7), SaudiArabia (6.6), the United Kingdom (6.6) and Spain (6.6). 

Canada led suppliers of planting seeds to the United States,shipping 38,207 tons valued at $26.9 million, a decrease of 8percent in volume but an increase of 5 percent in value. AfterCanada, the top ten suppliers included (with data listed inmillion dollars): China (11.2), the Netherlands (10.7), Chile(9.0), Mexico (7.7), Japan (6.0), New Zealand (2.9), Australia(2.9), the United Kingdom (2.8) and Israel (2.7). 
U.S. PLANTING SEED EXPORT HIGHLIGHTSJuly-June Marketing Year 1996/97 Compared to 1995/96July-November   1995/96      1996/97   % Chang  1995/96     1996/97   % Change               Kilograms                        DollarsALL SEEDS     246,164,827  377,388,687   53.3%234,943,976 302,281,115  28.7%By KIndGrasses        15,106,711   17,994,428   19.1% 19,512,237  23,991,298  23.0%Annual Ryegra   5,261,238    5,204,205   -1.1%  4,378,620   4,608,152   5.2%Tall Fescue     2,104,065    3,172,266   50.8%  2,615,981   4,126,905  57.8%Perennial Rye   2,122,075    2,522,570   18.9%  2,797,879   3,282,548  17.3%Sorghum-sudan     866,920    2,201,561  154.0%  1,175,647   2,963,228 152.1%Other Fescue    1,025,297    1,193,317   16.4%  1,296,367   1,939,857  49.6%Kentucky Blue     927,709      937,495    1.1%  2,280,086   1,878,050 -17.6%Bentgrass         305,361      430,827   41.1%  1,235,167   1,392,920  12.8%Orchardgrass      489,665      700,790   43.1%    855,597   1,051,242  22.9%Other Forages   6,890,610    9,942,175   44.3% 14,196,463  23,930,958  68.6%Certified Alf   1,784,275    3,869,122  116.8%  6,126,859  13,114,836 114.1%Uncertified A     933,126    1,663,113   78.2%  2,295,612   4,076,105  77.6%Crimson Clove     634,093      972,080   53.3%    967,763   1,188,200  22.8%Pulses         14,934,713   22,579,659   51.2% 12,165,676  17,592,524  44.6%Pea             6,336,555    5,691,188  -10.2%  4,682,558   4,144,877 -11.5%Other Kidney      808,560    3,451,509  326.9%    546,570   2,788,294 410.1%Navy Bean       1,542,521    3,537,219  129.3%  1,074,675   2,323,693 116.2%Gram Bean       1,992,431    1,589,222  -20.2%  1,970,772   1,622,198 -17.7%Chickpea          484,062    1,872,634  286.9%    441,790   1,425,158 222.6%Vegetables     15,011,689   17,145,431   14.2% 83,136,818  83,903,030   0.9%Sweet Corn      2,556,762    5,321,788  108.1%  4,748,591  12,699,220 167.4%Tomato            637,082      681,202    6.9% 12,212,548  10,636,408 -12.9%Onion             880,922      613,436  -30.4%  8,930,765   6,738,387 -24.5%Pepper            932,319      990,938    6.3%  5,010,748   5,081,629   1.4%Mushroom Spaw   2,940,978    2,287,036  -22.2%  6,685,511   4,815,115 -28.0%Watermelon        479,829      602,472   25.6%  3,573,008   4,752,636  33.0%Squash            731,766      746,812    2.1%  4,379,563   4,691,273   7.1%Cucumber          549,686      525,094   -4.5%  4,503,032   4,476,251  -0.6%Cantaloupe        525,447      518,406   -1.3%  2,739,491   3,067,839  12.0%Field Crops   191,824,710  307,566,207   60.3% 87,105,336 127,928,778  46.9%Soybean        31,273,233  142,758,886  356.5%  9,350,380  45,682,105 388.6%Field Corn     27,275,915   25,355,675   -7.0% 46,419,635  43,996,369  -5.2%Other Wheat    58,904,975  111,826,759   89.8%  7,914,781  22,893,114 189.2%Grain Sorghum  26,469,505   15,192,732  -42.6%  4,450,461   4,790,439   7.6%Other Sunflow   8,129,890    4,358,766  -46.4%  3,636,021   4,690,519  29.0%Oil-type Sunf  16,460,721    2,674,871  -83.7%  6,571,910   2,986,764 -54.6%Cotton          2,973,412    1,492,070  -49.8%  2,538,915   1,462,500 -42.4%Miscellaneous   2,396,394    2,160,787   -9.8% 18,827,446  24,934,527  32.4%Flower            121,209      204,571   68.8% 12,967,625  16,273,142  25.5%BY REGIONNorth America  81,348,493  239,959,188  195.0% 75,065,143 124,402,009  65.7%European Unio  53,652,443   37,236,078  -30.6% 65,677,979  69,761,275   6.2%Other Asia     72,601,638   47,975,120  -33.9% 30,898,880  34,024,247  10.1%South America   7,866,904   16,993,991  116.0% 19,798,086  32,243,232  62.9%Middle East     3,744,512    4,405,536   17.7% 14,298,386  14,136,456  -1.1%South AmericaMexico         58,476,068  174,299,743  198.1% 53,467,849  96,111,845 79.76%Canada         22,872,425   65,659,445  187.1% 21,597,294  28,290,164  31.0%Japan          16,698,264   43,610,293  161.2% 17,916,878  28,251,126  57.7%Italy           9,965,095   11,009,973   10.5% 20,872,135  25,091,148  20.2%Argentina       3,901,106    9,477,363  142.9%  7,280,566  17,804,565 144.5%France          2,185,421    4,958,556  126.9%  5,503,525  11,204,598 103.6%Netherlands    23,448,250    4,424,229  -81.1% 20,778,808  10,711,179 -48.5%Saudi Arabia    1,510,224    2,258,650   49.6%  4,738,007   7,715,445  62.8%United Kingdo   1,336,669    6,746,589  404.7%  4,588,661   6,631,937  44.5%Spain          13,587,812    4,285,307  -68.5%  7,793,095   6,583,458 -15.5%Australia       1,988,358    2,091,335    5.2%  3,738,974   5,708,887  52.7%Germany         1,217,439    2,918,615  139.7%  2,538,548   5,213,610 105.4%Chile           1,064,234    1,793,075   68.5%  3,330,911   4,894,518  46.9%Philippines       268,225   20,792,312 7651.8%  2,055,101   4,239,726 106.3%South Africa      360,931    1,830,456  407.1%  1,364,655   3,149,370 130.8%Brazil            316,407    2,817,055  790.3%  2,410,073   3,124,317  29.6%South Korea     1,476,426    2,374,231   60.8%  1,890,811   2,157,443  14.1%United Arab E     175,495      133,757  -23.8%  3,252,798   1,987,288 -38.9%Greece          1,276,411    1,653,547   29.5%  1,239,752   1,867,661  50.6%Colombia          975,556      942,613   -3.4%  2,071,518   1,625,446 -21.5%Venezuela         425,216      165,463  -61.1%  1,745,928   1,478,924 -15.3%Pakistan          885,613      823,801   -7.0%  1,695,822   1,438,980 -15.1%Hong Kong         537,831      786,024   46.1%  1,168,707   1,437,077  23.0%New Zealand       726,843      920,133   26.6%  1,565,659   1,362,537 -13.0%Indonesia          34,785       24,062  -30.8%    350,426   1,311,001 274.1%Costa Rica        248,515      120,783  -51.4%  1,174,625   1,236,339   5.3%Taiwan            436,045      490,116   12.4%  1,129,605   1,207,927   6.9%Turkey            548,981      704,462   28.3%  2,264,853   1,154,386 -49.0%Peru              277,742      476,357   71.5%    939,550   1,135,310  20.8%Syria             168,603      485,800  188.1%  1,293,436   1,102,448 -14.8%Denmark           211,915      317,024   49.6%    921,327   1,057,959  14.8%Guatemala         227,817      291,614   28.0%  1,123,822   1,023,475  -8.9%\1  Other Asia region includes China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Macau, and Taiwan.Source: Compiled from U.S. Bureau of Census records.Prepared by USDA/FAS/TCSDFebruary 1997U.S. PLANTING SEED IMPORT HIGHLIGHTSJuly-June Marketing Year 1996/97 Compared to 1995/96July-November  1995/96     1996/97    Change    1995/96     1996/97    Change              Kilograms                  %      Dollars                   %ALL SEEDS     54,188,651  52,635,561     -2.9% 85,339,427 105,092,487     23.1%BY KINDGrasses       10,586,914  13,787,330     30.2% 10,919,347  16,292,419     49.2%Red Fescue     6,359,244   7,473,599     17.5%  5,417,849   8,060,389     48.8%Perennial Rye    237,659   2,192,528    822.6%  1,109,364   3,163,364    185.2%Wheatgrass       407,591     931,810    128.6%    639,740   1,670,389    161.1%Timothy        1,753,015   1,381,890    -21.2%  1,125,713     688,310    -38.9%Bromegrass       589,838     283,704    -51.9%    937,703     441,968    -52.9%Other Fescue      14,673     211,581   1342.0%     25,598     407,442   1491.7%Other Forages  4,029,021   2,335,521    -42.0%  6,854,504   4,229,924    -38.3%Uncertified A  1,390,718     700,529    -49.6%  2,775,346   1,672,796    -39.7%White and Lad    387,768     308,313    -20.5%  1,107,533     704,879    -36.4%Certified Alf    305,035     183,661    -39.8%    557,226     427,506    -23.3%Pulses        26,193,956  21,545,447    -17.7% 10,338,993  10,943,107      5.8%Gram Bean      3,376,634   3,936,003     16.6%  1,704,296   2,905,572     70.5%Pea            4,984,285   8,332,295     67.2%  1,489,940   2,764,874     85.6%Lentil           625,933   1,436,524    129.5%    356,770     645,821     81.0%Navy Bean        908,140   1,276,055     40.5%    350,179     623,179     78.0%Vegetables     2,575,866   3,229,899     25.4% 31,153,711  35,965,383     15.4%Tomato           123,307     115,703     -6.2% 11,375,363  10,945,740     -3.8%Pepper            46,168      40,757    -11.7%  3,455,680   4,608,432     33.4%Watermelon        56,606     171,688    203.3%  2,277,125   3,383,794     48.6%Cantaloupe        26,961      34,574     28.2%  1,919,966   2,335,390     21.6%Pumpkin          543,007   1,004,793     85.0%  1,120,850   2,230,677     99.0%Cucumber          10,854      14,323     32.0%  1,028,902   1,442,171     40.2%Onion             41,235      36,129    -12.4%  1,519,774   1,394,468     -8.2%Cabbage            5,312      13,352    151.4%    639,293     993,361     55.4%Other Melons       7,982      45,359    468.3%    852,621     958,845     12.5%Field Crops   10,316,314  11,242,992      9.0%  5,460,024   9,053,591     65.8%Field Corn     2,630,854   6,060,588    130.4%  3,751,784   7,666,088    104.3%Other Wheat    3,343,832   3,672,364      9.8%    496,882     819,086     64.8%Other Sunflow    437,328      38,002    -91.3%    246,693     143,803    -41.7%Barley           876,568     726,919    -17.1%     81,454     131,619     61.6%Miscellaneous    486,580     494,372      1.6% 20,612,848  28,608,063     38.8%Flower           136,893     189,077     38.1% 18,830,533  24,850,392     32.0%Tree and Shru    157,926     128,272    -18.8%    615,399   1,960,223    218.5%BY REGIONNorth America 47,214,913  39,107,452    -17.2% 33,177,580  34,590,573      4.3%European Unio  1,214,220   1,293,673      6.5% 16,849,579  22,439,775     33.2%Other Asia     1,857,183   2,484,158     33.8% 17,330,160  18,358,221      5.9%South America    646,520   3,917,083    505.9%  2,609,795  10,183,347    290.2%Oceania        1,755,805   3,199,763     82.2%  4,149,778   5,714,115     37.7%BY COUNTRYCanada        41,386,187  38,207,716     -7.7% 25,685,950  26,912,502      4.8%China          1,791,362   2,366,935     32.1% 10,407,478  11,159,096      7.2%Netherlands      595,833     382,550    -35.8%  9,368,537  10,685,607     14.1%Chile            166,887   3,077,619   1744.1%  1,943,855   8,971,432    361.5%Mexico         5,828,726     899,736    -84.6%  7,491,630   7,678,071      2.5%Japan             22,264      43,243     94.2%  5,919,423   6,046,080      2.1%New Zealand    1,126,260   1,784,951     58.5%  2,311,806   2,861,443     23.8%Denmark          210,335     444,797    111.5%  1,656,653   2,858,812     72.6%Australia        629,545   1,414,723    124.7%  1,837,972   2,847,026     54.9%United Kingdo     39,414     106,909    171.2%  1,233,176   2,836,510    130.0%Israel            28,922      91,348    215.8%  3,288,702   2,741,391    -16.6%Germany           36,912      80,795    118.9%  1,950,511   2,645,701     35.6%India          1,092,758   1,288,712     17.9%  2,601,824   2,632,942      1.2%Guatemala         12,627      12,164     -3.7%  2,952,873   2,366,804    -19.8%Costa Rica         6,005      15,116    151.7%     81,565   1,812,153   2121.7%Thailand         144,940     337,106    132.6%    554,536   1,666,907    200.6%France            77,523      93,914     21.1%  1,279,778   1,542,336     20.5%Italy            232,984     159,679    -31.5%  1,186,195   1,474,588     24.3%Peru             276,008     680,448    146.5%    418,067     953,008    128.0%Taiwan            16,936      24,758     46.2%    734,365     665,683     -9.4%South Korea        4,256       4,670      9.7%    174,132     394,757    126.7%Hungary            2,625     217,939   8202.4%     18,560     369,890   1892.9%Vietnam              350       3,957   1030.6%      7,000     336,285   4704.1%Kenya                362         283    -21.8%    580,316     300,000    -48.3%
1. Other Asia region includes China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea,Macau, and Taiwan. Source: Compiled from U.S. Bureau of Censusrecords. Prepared by USDA/FAS/TCSD February 1997 

For more information you may contact  Loyd Coonrod, Cotton,Oilseeds, Tobacco and Seeds Division, Foreign AgriculturalService, USDA at (202) 720-9491. 

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