Apple Exports

Monday Apr 6th, 2015 25 Views Fruit Grower Report

Apple Exports. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

It looks like it’s going to be another early apple season here in the northwest as apple blossoms have already begun popping. That may lead to yet another large crop on top of an record crop last year. Todd Fryhover, president of the Washington Apple Commission talks about some of the export agreements that are in place and new ones coming online.

FRYHOVER: We’re still shipping fruit to India, there doesn’t seem to be any issues. Of course we’ve got the 50% duty. That’s something that’s always a heartache and a reduction in that can clearly increase business into India.

Fryhover talks about the new agreement with China.

FRYHOVER: There was an agreement signed on January 23rd between the U.S. government and the Chinese government to allow full varietal access from the U.S. to China. However, we haven’t had any kind of indication that that process has moved forward. It’s still sitting back at the Office of Management and Budget in Washington DC awaiting their blessing. And then once that blessing occurs it will go to the Federal Register. Once that runs its course then we will probably see reciprocal trade.

He does say it is a bit late in the game this year but:

FRYHOVER: If we can get this accomplished and buttoned up and have the ability to just execute a few containers this year it’ll be a tremendous opportunity for Washington next season to have full varietal access to China.

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