12�SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2025�ABASTO.COM SPECIAL INSERT Agriculture industry Courtesy USDA P er capita availability of vegetables and le- gumes in the United States fell to 376 pounds per person in 2024, the lowest total in more than 35 years, according to pre- liminary estimates from the USDA Economic Re- search Service. Per capita availability is a rough indicator of what is available for domestic consumption. It refects changes in domestic su- pply, trade, and population size, without accounting for food losses or waste that may occur throughout the supply chain. Te 2024 estimate repre- sents a 50-pound decline from the peak reached in 1996, refecting long-term changes in vegetable pro- duction and trade patterns. Te overall trend away from potatoes and proces- sed vegetables has driven much of the long-term decline in consumption. Processed vegetables decli- ned by 32 pounds between 1996 and 2024, while po- tato availability dropped by 28 pounds. In turn, fresh vegetables increased by 6 pounds, from 142 pounds in 1996 to 148 pounds in 2024. Although modest in ab- solute terms, this increase, combined with declines in other categories, contri- buted to fresh vegetables becoming the most critical component of total per ca- pita availability in 2024. In 2024, fresh vegetables accounted for 39% of total availability, followed by po- tatoes (31%), vegetables for processing (25%), legumes (3%), and mushrooms (1%). VEGETABLE AVAILABILITY DECLINED IN 2024 PER CAPITA AVAILABILITY OF VEGETABLES AND PULSES, 1996, 2010, 2024 P* POUND PER PERSON 450 350 250 150 50 400 300 200 100 0 1996 2010 2024 145 127 142 114 121 150 96 96 148 MUSHROOMS DRY BEANS, DRY PEAS, LENTILS, AND CHICKPEAS POTATOES VEGETABLES, PROCESSING VEGETABLES, FRESH 8 8 4 4 3 NOTE: *P= preliminary. Annual per capita availability based on calendar year totals for fresh and processing vegetabales (excluding melons), pulses, and mushrooms. Fresh vege- tabales include canned, frozen, and dried,and exclude potatoes, pulses and mushrooms. Potatoes include fresh and processed. The pulse category includes Austrian winter and wrinkle seed peas where applicable. Mushroom data are based on July-June crop year. SOURCE: USDA, Economic Research Service, Vegetables and Pulses Outlook 12�SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2025�ABASTO.COM SPECIAL INSERT Agriculture industry