Seafood and food products have been a cornerstone of Maine’s exports, and will remain so well into the future. In 2009, the state’s seafood industry exported over $180 million in seafood and over $99 million in other food products.

Maine has a well deserved international reputation for the finest lobsters (exports in live lobsters topped $110 million in 2009) found anywhere in the world. Our wild blueberries (exports over $20 million in 2009) are recognized worldwide for their health benefits and Maine potatoes represent the state’s number one agriculture crop and have long been one of the pillars of the Maine economy.

Recent activities by the Maine International Trade Center (MITC) within these sectors included participation in the 2010 Gulfood Trade Show in the United Arab Emirates; attendance at the Natural Products Trade Show in Boston; The International Boston Seafood Show; hosting a MITC education program with Food Export U.S.A. on French market opportunities; and hosting an industry roundtable discussion with representatives from N.O.A.A. and the F.D.A. about new E.U. health certificate changes.

The Trade Center also enjoys a close working relationship with Food Export U.S.A., a nonprofit marketing group affiliated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture that allows MITC to provide marketing offset monies and business matchmaking services to food and seafood companies participating in overseas trade shows and missions, as well as the Maine Department of Agriculture.