Pear Export Issues Part 2

Pear Export Issues Part 2. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

Mike Willett with the NW Hort Council says there is a great export market in China if we can just crack the door open. China has been resistant to exports from the U.S. even though we import a couple of varieties of their pears.

WILLETT: As you know there are two species of pears that are allowed exported into the United States, Ya pears and Fragrant pears. They grow an awful lot of pears in a climate that’s fairly similar to here in central Washington.

He says they have also requested access for Japanese style sand pears which are grown all across southern China.

WILLETT: Sand pears in China in some cases are harvested from plantings that are carved out of natural hillsides. The scope of the types of pears they are for sale in China is really broad compared to some of the other species they grow and they also produce sand pears in areas that are known to be infested with tropical fruit flies.

That will create some challenging access for that fruit.

WILLETT: As part of sort of a semi trade off, the Chinese finally agreed to give us a pest risk assessment for USA pears to be exported to China and we have seen so far a pest risk assessment and a pest list and last September we had a formal visit by Chinese plant quarantine technicians.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.