Florida and Georgia remain two of the leading cucumber-producing states in the country. Along with Michigan and North Carolina, they harvest more than 60% of the nation’s fresh market acres, according to USDA Vegetable and Pulses April Outlook.
However, imports continue to challenge the two states for market supremacy, accounting for more than three-fourths of domestic availability, up from less than one-half in 2000.
Imports of fresh cucumbers totaled 2.19 billion pounds in 2020 and are projected to increase in 2021 amid the pandemic. Mexico remains the leading source of imported cucumbers, averaging 80% of the annual volume from 2018-20. Canada provided 16% of import volume during that same timeframe.
Imports accounted for 87% of domestic availability, up from 61% in 2010. From 2015 to 2019, cucumber imports increased by 5% every year.
Greenhouse production accounts for 11% of the domestic cucumber production, up from 10% in 2014 and 3% in 2009. Greenhouse import share, which was 15% during 2010-12, is slowly increasing.
Cucumbers and squash were the source of an investigation by the U.S. International Trade Commission. The hearing centered on the impact that imports are having on the domestic industry.