PHARR, Texas – Ken Roberts is the founder and president of WorldCity, Inc., a company that tracks trade data at U.S. airports, seaports and border crossings.
He is also a former Federal Reserve Trade & Transportation Advisory Board member. He collates trade data from the U.S. Census Bureau. WorldCity’s website address is www.ustradenumbers.com.
Every year, Roberts produces a book for the Pharr Bridge Board that looks at the value and tonnage of goods that cross the Rio Grande Valley’s largest border crossing.
Recently, Roberts participated in one of the Pharr Bridge Board’s monthly Bridge Connect talks. It was held at the Pharr Development and Research Center.
“The work that is done here in Pharr plays an important role in the national economy,” Roberts said, in his presentation. He pointed out that Pharr ranks 29th among U.S. airports, seaports, and border crossings. In 2021 it was 31st.
The latest data for the Pharr International Bridge for June that was shared by Roberts shows:
- * Total trade is up 26.06 percent, as compared to the same month a year ago.
- * Total exports are up 39.40 percent, as compared to the same month a year ago.
- * Total imports are up 17.71 percent, as compared to the same month a year ago.
Roberts pointed out that five of the top ten months for trade at the Pharr International Bridge in the last 20 years are this year. The other five are last year. Three of those five are the last three months of the year. “Pretty impressive,” Roberts said.
Concluding his presentation, Roberts said: What is leading the boom in trade? Exports of natural gas and refined petroleum products are growing very rapidly. Avadado and carrot imports imports are up sharply. It has been a good year for perishables. Pharr is important for the export of compressors, pumps, etc.”
Editor’s Note: Click here to read all the current trade data referenced by Roberts about the Pharr International Bridge.
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