Anjou Pears to China

Anjou Pears to China. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

The first shipment of U.S. Anjou pears has arrived in China making this the first time U.S. pears have been available to consumers in that market. The Ag Networks Lacy Gray has more on this important story.

GRAY: Work has been on-going to open the Chinese market to U.S. pears. Last year, U.S. and Chinese officials reached an agreement to accept exports of pears grown in the two countries. The initial shipment of 6,615 boxes of U.S. pears was worth over $100,000. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said that he expects China to become one of the top five export destinations for U.S.-grown pears within the next two seasons. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or APHIS worked to keep U.S. agricultural industries free from pests and diseases and certifying that the millions of U.S. agricultural and food products shipped to markets abroad meet the importing countries' entry requirements.

Thanks Lacy. The Obama Administration, with Agriculture Secretary Vilsack's leadership, has aggressively worked to expand export opportunities and reduce barriers to trade, helping to push agricultural exports to record levels and is currently experiencing its best period in history.President Obama's National Export Initiative goal is to double all U.S. exports by the end of 2014.

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