Seven Largest Agricultural Importers Take Nearly Two-Thirds of World Imports -- U.S. Major Supplier

Excerpts from the report: World agricultural trade has increased appreciably since the disruption of World War II, and its contribution to the post-war recovery of Europe was substantial. Although all countries import or export some agricultural products, trade is generally dominated by the industrialized countries of North America and Europe. For example, the United States is the world's largest exporter and second largest importer of agricultural products. Excluding the United States, 6 of the 7 major importers are in Western Europe -- the United Kingdom, West Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Belgium-Luxembourg. The rapidly expanding Japanese market resulted in that country moving up to the third largest importer of the seven. In 1965, these 7 countries imported agricultural products valued at $20,599 million. In 1964, the last year comparable data were available, agricultural imports by the 7 major importers accounted for 61 percent of total farm product imports by 79 countries. With U.S. imports added to those of the 7 practically 75 percent of world agricultural imports are made by 8 countries. This report on agricultural imports in 1960-65 by the seven largest importers, excluding the United States, includes analysis of total and commodity trade on imports from the United States, from other developed countries, from Eastern Trade Area, and from the less developed countries.