Table 6.--Florida agricultural exports: share of U.S. exports, fiscal
 1970, 1974 and 1977.



Product 1970 1974 1977

 ------------ Percent ---------
Fruits and preparations 20.1 20.0 22.1
Vegetables and preparations 5.9 6.1 9.3
Other products 0.5 0.4 0.7

Total exports 1.7 1.0 1.6


 Exports can have important effects on prices for Florida vegetables.

The analysis discussed earlier under "Import Competition" can also be

used to evaluate those effects. Export of 10 million pounds of tomatoes

would increase Florida prices by 26 cents per hundredweight, for example.

 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS


 Tomatoes and green peppers are important Florida vegetable crops

which face strong import competition. The growth and nature of import

competition suggest depressed returns for Florida producers unless

domestic demand keeps pace with expanding supplies. Imports comprise a

substantial part of winter vegetable marketing and there is mounting

concern that their share of the U.S. market will continue to expand.

Prices received by Florida producers for these winter vegetables have

eroded in comparison to rapid production and harvesting cost increases.

 An econometric model using quarterly data on Florida production and

 prices and other U.S. production as well as imports has been developed.

 Preliminary results suggest that Florida producer prices for tomatoes