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Abstract
Rising foreign production, falling prices, and shrinking volume pushed down U.S.
agricultural exports 17 percent in value during the first 11 months of fiscal
year (FY) 1985 (October1984-August 1985) to $29. 3 billion from $35.1 billion a
year earller. Unfavorable weather conditions and higher prices for fruits, fruit
juices, arr.d vegetable oils boosted U.S. agricultural imports to $18.1 billion
during the first 11 months of FY 1985, 5 percent above those of the same period
in 1984. The U.~S. dollar fell against all five currencies (German mark, Japanese
yen, British pound, Dutch guilder, Canadian dollar) most important to U.S. agri-
cultural trade during July. U.S. agricultural exports benefit both the farm and nonfarm
sectors by generating employment, income, and purchasing power. U.S. agricultural
sales to Latin America may fall to $4.7 billion in FY 1985 and to $4. 6
billion in 1986 from $5.3 billion in 1984, depending on the region's weather and
Mexico's buying activity.