25 Fastest-Growing U.S. Imports in 2023: Construction, Machinery, and Food Items

The U.S. saw a significant shift in its import trends in 2023, with some items experiencing a sharp increase in demand while others declined. According to Census Bureau trade data, the country imported over $3 trillion in goods last year, with certain commodities seeing substantial growth in import values.

One of the most notable trends was the rise in imports of construction and manufacturing-related items. Building materials such as mortar, concrete, sand, gravel, stone, woodwork, and iron and steel pipe all saw a significant increase in import values from 2022 to 2023. Additionally, the import values of machinery such as trucks, trailers, stackers, and metalworking tools also rose during this period.

This surge in imports can be attributed to several factors, including federal infrastructure investment initiatives that have pumped billions of dollars into public infrastructure projects. The government’s efforts to build and repair roads, bridges, ports, and invest in clean building and manufacturing efforts have led to an increased demand for these tools and materials.

However, the rise in import values can also be linked to global tensions, trade disputes, and supply chain disruptions that have driven up the cost of building materials. This has forced the U.S. to rely more heavily on imports to meet its construction and manufacturing needs.

Food items were also among the fastest-growing imports, with agricultural goods facing challenges such as dramatic cost inflation and production disruptions due to severe weather patterns exacerbated by climate change. For example, the import values for sugarcane and sugar beets spiked in 2023 following abnormally dry weather that impacted sugar production.

On the flip side, some common items like oil, gas, phones, and computers experienced decreases in import values in 2023. The U.S. has ramped up its own oil production to reduce reliance on other countries, setting records for crude oil production in 2023. Additionally, an executive order banning the import of Russian oil, gas, and coal in retaliation against Russia’s actions in Ukraine disrupted the flow of these commodities.

Tensions between the U.S. and China have also impacted import trends, with the country falling behind Mexico as the leading source of U.S. imports for the first time in over two decades. Geopolitical factors and changing market dynamics are reshaping the landscape of international trade, with product demand, inflation, climate change, and political alliances all playing a role in shaping import trends in the U.S.