Tropical Horticulture – Trade and Investment Opportunities for US Growers

Tropical horticulture is important for both commercial and subsistence agriculture. The globalization of the economy and the increased demand for healthy and more diverse food products have opened large markets for many of these crops. Despite this fact, increased production of many tropical crops is hindered by a lack of understanding of the basic comparative advantages in production and marketing. An understanding of the resource requirements for producing these crops and the integrated role that production and marketing have in determining trade and investment opportunities is important. This work identifies critical elements for competitive production and marketing and identifies some key products that hold promise for U.S. growers. It also discusses key policies that could influence future trade and investment opportunities.