North Carolinians are lucky to enjoy the myriad of agricultural products produced by the state’s farmers – from sweetpotatoes to pork and poultry to value-added products like barbecue sauce. They might not realize that the rest of the world is able to enjoy them, too through ag exports.
“Agricultural exports contributed over $3.3 billion to our state’s economy at the end of 2023,” says Cathy Ma, assistant director for international marketing at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS). “Some of the top commodities we export include meat and poultry, tobacco, lumber products, packaged foods, sweetpotatoes, and soybeans.”
Trading by the Ton
The international marketing section is responsible for providing international marketing programs, staffing expertise, regulation navigation, market research, training, financial assistance and documentation to North Carolina growers so they can succeed in overseas markets.
“Our office has close relations with commodity associations and agribusinesses in the state,” she says. “We offer motivation and support for our partner companies in North Carolina so they can sell their products to 95% of the world’s population, which is outside of the U.S.”
Farmers across the state see the direct benefit of international trade by being able to use the coast and accessible ports to ship agricultural goods abroad.
“Having a vital port here is a huge benefit to us,” says James Lamb, a pork producer in Sampson County. Back in 2015, Lamb was part of a team tasked with looking at infrastructure issues and identifying needs at the state’s ports. “Together with a practicum team with the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission Agricultural Leadership Development Program, I devised a meeting of all major protein producers in the state, and the Port of Wilmington worked with us to include ship carriers and trucking,” he recalls.
The meeting has evolved into an international event known as the Cold Chain Summit because of the cold storage now offered at the port. “My pigs are raised on my farm and sold through Smithfield,” Lamb says. “From there, the product comes to the Port of Wilmington, where it undergoes blast-freezing before being exported to other countries.”
The top trade partners for the state include China, Canada, South Korea and Mexico. Meat and poultry account for approximately 30% of the state’s total ag exports. Ma says most meat and poultry goes to South Korea, Japan, Colombia and China. In 2023, the total value of meat and poultry exports was more than $1 billion.
Market Matchmaking
Half the battle for the NCDA&CS international marketing section is connecting producers with international opportunities. And it all begins with gathering information.
“We start with really getting to know our producers in North Carolina,” Ma says. “We get to know their products and company information, learning their export goals and if their products are shelf-stable, for example.”
Once that’s determined, the section conducts extensive market research into which markets are preferred markets for specific products. They present that information to the producers.
“For example, barbecue sauce can be sold to all countries, but Canada and Europe are the most popular markets for that product,” Ma says. “We do a lot of research to see which countries have a high disposable income and can afford to import.”
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The section also conducts inbound trade missions, which host international buyers in N.C. to explore business opportunities and build relationships. They introduce North Carolina producers to those buyers one-on-one.
Excellent Ag Exports
“We invite several buyers to the annual Flavors of Carolina Show, and we also work closely with the Southern United States Trade Association and receive funds to organize global events where there are good potential markets for our state,” Ma says.
The numbers are already positive, but she says North Carolina exports are only poised for expansion.
“Exports will continue to grow, and we’ll diversify the market,” Ma says. “We’ve seen great potential in Southeast Asia for our major commodities and are developing new markets for lumber products in India, Europe and Mexico. UAE countries are emerging markets for our sweetpotatoes and value-added food products. We have a lot of potential growth in those countries that have free trade agreements with the U.S.”
