Washington Trade Mission

Washington Trade Mission. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

A number of ag industry leaders have just returned from accompanying Washington Governor Gregoire on a trade mission. Mark Powers, Vice President of the Northwest Hort Council gives us a brief look.

POWERS: We visited two countries so India and Korea and distinctly different in the sense of opportunities for apples, pears and cherries. The first place was India and the big issue there is maintaining the very good access that we already have and maintaining the successful marketing that is going on for apples certainly and pears as well.

India has been the third largest export market for apples.

POWERS: It’s probably a $70-million dollar market from the standpoint of packing house value so it’s a very successful final destination for our product and yet there are some real challenges there. Obviously there is a 50% tariff which is very high so even in the face of that kind of tariff we’ve had extraordinary growth.

The group had many meetings with various ag industry officials to try and improve trade.

POWERS: With the Governor as a spokesperson there for apples as well as many other products from Washington State.That was one of the asks to try and get the tariff’s down. the other one has to do with phytosanitary issues. It doesn’t matter what country you are exporting to they have protocols and India is no different.

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