By Dari Duval, Ashley Bickel, George Frisvold Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension July 2022
Fresh fruit and vegetable commodities became the highest-value category of imports through the Nogales port of entry as of 2020, surpassing motor vehicles and vehicle parts as the top category. This study examines the importance of Santa Cruz County’s fresh produce industry to the county’s economy and to the Arizona state economy in 2019 and 2020. It provides an overview of the industry, estimates of its direct economic activity, and estimates of the total economic contribution, including multiplier effects. Finally, the study presents survey results regarding the operating environment in Santa Cruz County and recent produce industry investments.
