BC – British Columbia agrifood and seafood producers exported more products than ever before in 2016, setting a new record for the fourth year in a row.
2016 exports reached a new high of $3.8 billion, and an increase of over $300 million from 2015, led by a $195.5 million increase (17%) in the export of BC seafood products, and an $104.6 million increase (4%) in agrifood products.
The growth in 2016 exports is the fourth consecutive year of record agrifoods exports in B.C. and is over $1 billion (44%) higher than 2013, when $2.7 billion set the export record of the day.
British Columbia exported 712 types of foods to 160 markets in 2016, building on the demand for high-quality, trusted BC products, and the network British Columbians have with family, friends, and businesses all over the world.
The BC government supports local businesses to reach new markets through trade missions, 15 international BC government trade offices, and participation in about 20 international agrifood and seafood trade events a year.
Recent BC government initiatives to increase trade include:
- An International Market Development Strategy that focuses on providing programs and services that support three key areas: market knowledge, generating investment, and building networks;
- Two recently hired BC Agrifood and Seafood Trade and Investment Representatives – one in Hong Kong and one in South Korea – to support the expansion of BC agrifood and seafood export sales and to collect market intelligence on current and future growth opportunities; and
- Online, searchable access of the BC government’s Agrifood and Seafood Export Ready Business Catalogue in multiple languages. The catalogues represents BC’s diverse agrifood and seafood sector, and include profiles of about 100 BC producers of fruits and vegetables, seafood, meat, packaged food, natural health products and beverage makers, ready to export BC products.