USDA Trade Mission to Northeast China

This week is USDA's Trade Mission to Northeast China where the demand for imported farm and food products is outpacing the rest of the country and has strong potential for U.S. ag exports.

Northeast China boasts a population roughly equal to Mexico, a rapidly growing middle class, and a GDP equivalent to the world's 17th largest economy. China's appetite for U.S. products continues to grow, and the potential for U.S. exporters in the northeast region of China remains largely unrealized.

The region's dairy imports, consisted chiefly of whey, soared from $85 million in 2011 to $232 million in 2013. The EU and New Zealand are the main suppliers. The United States, as a distant third exporter, nevertheless saw its dairy exports there more than tripling over the last two years, to $18 million.      

USDA Under Secretary Michael Scuse shares

Scuse: "These three cities are in a major agricultural area. There are a whole array of U.S. products that are in demand in this area."

Scuse says China has moved up dramatically on our list of U.S. trade partners. ??Scuse: "Last year was a record year for exports to China at $25 billion. Just five years ago, China was our number five trading partner and they leaped to the front in a very short period of time."