China accepts all U.S. apple varieties

2015-01-28 11:43

The deal has the potential to increase U.S. fresh apple exports by about 10 percent in the next two years, the Agriculture Department said. Washington grows many different types of apples now, besides the Red and Golden Delicious. "Red and Golden Delicious now account for less than 40 percent of our overall volume, and gaining access for the rest of our varieties allows us to provide Chinese consumers with more high-quality choices from Washington," said Todd Fryhover, president of the commission, which is based in Wenatchee.

Also second-largest apple producing state New York is happy with the news. "Expanding export markets is important to our state's apple business," according to the New York Apple Association.

China imported more than 3 million boxes of Washington Reds and Goldens worth about $55 million during the 2010-11 shipping season, making it the state industry’s fourth-largest export market. Meanwhile, the USDA is moving toward opening the door for China to export to the United States, something China has long wanted in return. China is the world’s largest apple-growing nation, producing 1.9 billion boxes a year, mostly Fujis.

The deal culminates 20 years of efforts to send more varieties of apples to China.
"The new access for American exports we're announcing today is the culmination of decades of hard work by USDA staff," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release. "These efforts will result in high-quality, fresh U.S. apple varieties available for consumers in China and a significant boost in sales for American apple producers."

The Asian country allowed Red and Golden Delicious since 1994, but stopped buying U.S. apples in 2012 because of concerns over a fungus. Access for Red Delicious and Golden Delicious apples was regained last October. The agreement reached last week in San Francisco will for the first time open the door to all varieties in coming weeks, the Agriculture Department said.

The China news is welcome during a record crop year that has been hampered by the West Coast port slowdown, a Russian ban on the import of agricultural products from the U.S., and the worldwide effects of the strengthening dollar, said Barbara Walkenhauer, chair of the Washington Apple Commission board.

Słowa kluczowe: apples, China, US

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