Fresh
and Processed Vegetables for Your TableFresh
and Processed Vegetables for Your TableA worldwide trend towards convenience is sparking interest in processed food products, and Washington State processors are ready to meet consumer demands. Food processing is the state’s second-largest manufacturing industry (http://www.nwfpa.org). Washington’s reliable and quality crop supply, abundant electricity generated by dams on the Columbia River, transportation infrastructure, and manufacturing expertise have contributed to the food processing industry’s steady growth.
Washington often leads the U.S. in the percentage of its vegetable and fruit crops that are processed into value-added food products such as french fries, purees and concentrates. Vegetable and fruit processing account for over one-third of both the dollar value-added and total employment in the state’s food processing industry.
During the past decade the value of Washington’s vegetable production (not including potatoes) nearly doubled, with the fresh market segment having the sharpest gain. One contributing factor may be the greater value per acre of vegetables marketed fresh compared to vegetables harvested for processing. Of Washington’s $775 million in vegetable production in 1999, 69% went into processed products and 31% was marketed as fresh produce. If we do not include potatoes in the calculation ($476 million) the picture changes, with 44% going into processed products and 56% marketed as fresh produce.
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