<p> The USDA is projecting farm sales of horticultural crops to reach $74 billion by 2023, a 1.2% annual increase from $66 billion in 2013. According to the USDA’s latest Agricultural Projections report, fruit and tree nuts are expected to drive this sales growth with a share of 47%. The sales value of vegetables will also see an increase, although only at a growth of 0.2% per year.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><img class="small-cropped-image" src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacySmallCroppedImages/chart1.jpg" alt="022414" /><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> As fruit and tree nuts propel sales of horticultural crops, the report also states that production of fruit and tree nuts is expected to increase at an annual rate of 2.2% through 2023. Vegetables will lead the U.S. farm production of horticultural crops to reach 132 billion pounds by 2023, a growth rate of 0.5% annually.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Producer prices for vegetables are expected to rise less than the inflation rate, at only 0.7% per year, due to strong processing vegetable production, according to the report. Fresh fruits are expected to rise by 1.9% annually due to higher citrus prices and slower production growth for vegetables.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Imports will begin to play an increasingly important part of domestic fruit and nuts by 2023 as well. Imports will supply 50% of domestic fruit and nut use and 25% of vegetable use, in terms of farm weight, compared to 42% and 19%, respectively, in 2013. Approximately 27% of fruit and nut production will be exported to foreign markets, up from 23% in 2013, while 20% of vegetable production will be exported, up from 16.7% in 2013.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><img class="small-cropped-image" src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacySmallCroppedImages/chart2.jpg" alt="022414" /></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/oce-usda-agricultural-projections/oce141.aspx#.UwuKZfldWuI" target="_new"> USDA Agricultural Projections Report </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
