08/28/07 Exporting Fruits & Veggies

Exporting Fruits & Veggies. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. Yesterday, we talked with Rebecca Baerveldt, Export Manager with the Washington Apple Commission about their push to bring healthy fruits and vegetables to Asian countries. Studies have shown that school children in Asia are not getting enough good foods in their lunches and in fact most school lunches contain a large portion of starches. It seems Asia, like other countries are falling into the "fast food" mentality. BAERVELDT: What's happening is the traditional diet is being changed because of lack of time; same things that happen here in the United States are happening over there. People just don't have time, their not eating breakfast, their going and grabbing fast food meals  traditionally that's heavy on fat and starch and protein and really not that much in the way of fruits and vegetables and particularly fresh. A major part of the problem is preference; carrots, beans, apples, pears or sweet rolls and ice cream. BAERVELDT: Kids love Ho-Ho's and Twinkies and all that kind of stuff but let's get them to include more of the fruits and vegetables in their diet particularly if you are looking for a snack in the afternoon, grab an apple. You know it's easy, it's portable, you can eat is skin and all. It's a great snack idea and parents need to have that fruit available. Kids will eat what the parents have in the house. The Washington Apple Commission is using these study results to help bolster exports. BAERVELDT: There's been so much good news coming out, particularly about apples on the health front and so it really  you know were out there promoting a healthy product that's good for you with this increased awareness of the problem of obesity in Asian markets and other markets around the world, it's a great time to be selling and promoting a product like Washington apples. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.