The world exported about $230 billion in agricultural commodities last year. The U.S. exported $39.1 billion while importing $15.4 billion, leaving an estimated $23.7 billion agricultural trade surplus during fiscal year 1982 (October 1981-September 1982) (table 1). This trade surplus has meant that U.S. farm product exports have helped limit the trade deficit incurred by purchases of other foreign products, such as oil and cars.