Hope Of Reopening China Market To Washington Apples

I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

Todd Fryhover, President of the Washington Apple Commission, recently returned from attending the Governor's Trade Mission to China and reports they had successful meetings with Chinese importers.

FRYHOVER: China obviously is a huge market and one of the top two for Washington apple potential in the future. So the ability to share time with the Governor and the Director of Agriculture at the political levels that they can grasp that we cannot is definitely a benefit. So it was good to be a participant with that group and share the good will of the Washington apple industry with the Chinese.

Fryhover says that the reception on the trade mission towards Washington apples was good, even though the market is currently closed for Washington apples into China.

FRYHOVER: There were a lot of questions on the importer side - on the governmental side, as far as where we are today, where we can be in the future, and is there some possibility of re-acquiring access to the Chinese market in the short term.

Fryhover says there was some positive news.

FRYHOVER: The Chinese bilaterals took place the week before and there was some positive news. Essentially there's hope that the 2013 apple crop at some time during this year will re-acquire red and gold delicious access into China. So grasping on that positive note - transferring that information down to the importers of Washington apples in the past was critical and definitely provided the Washington Apple Commission with benefit in attendance of the Governor's mission to China.

That's Washington Ag Today.

I'm Lacy Gray on the Ag Information Network.