China is the world’s largest consumer of fruits and vegetables, with a growing appetite for high-quality produce. China is also an expanding import market (mostly fresh fruits and, to a lesser extent, processed products). The value of China’s produce imports increased sevenfold between 1992 and 2001, making it one of the world’s fastest growing import markets. (Global Trade Patterns in Fruits and Vegetables Economic Research Service/USDA).
Yet China is producing almost half of world total apple production, increasing from 33,263,000; 35,985,000 and 37,000,000 metric tonnes from 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively while increasing world exports by 10% between 2000 to 2006. (Source: World Markets and Trade, US Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, May 2007). However, 10%; volume in terms of of world export is only 3% of their China's total production!!! The US has been increasing their shipments of high volume fresh apple to China. We will likely continue increase of apple exports until China has ramped up their volume and quality of production. Its been my understanding that even the Chinese people prefer US apple due to food safety concerns. Western US apple trade to China and world markets may be well for Eastern growers as it will likely reduce the shipments of Washington State apples to eastern markets and increase supply for locally grown fruit? I would favor increased tree fruit trade with China under competitive trade conditions based on standardized production practices. As it now stands, the regulations do not require the use of production practice guidelines to the standards which U.S growers need to abide, creating a competitive disadvantage for the US tree fruit producer. Pest management practices, worker protection standards and child labor laws should be instituted within the guidelines of production practices, certified by US inspection of farms and facilities, just as we have here in the US. Its likely that MRL standards will need to be assessed and met, yet there's no mention of MRL's in the regulation. The emphasis in the bill on phytosanitation for oriental fruit moth is outdated and concerns for newer invasive species should receive a hard review (too late for BMSB and SWD invasion over the pst 15 years, having caused millions of $$ in production and research loss). That said, China has not been known for their recent history of protecting human rights, product quality or safety standards and should be pressured into compliance by world markets to 'come clean'. Peter "The best way out is always through" - Robert Frost” Peter J. Jentsch Hudson Valley Laboratory Superintendent Senior Extension Associate - Entomology Department of Entomology, Cornell University Hudson Valley Research Lab P.O. Box 727, 3357 Rt. 9W Highland, NY 12528 Office: 845-691-7151 Cell: 845-417-7465 FAX: 845-691-2719 E-mail: [email protected] http://blogs.cornell.edu/jentsch/ ________________________________ From: [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of Ginda Fisher <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, August 15, 2014 10:58 AM To: Apple-crop discussion list; Mike Arvay Subject: Re: [apple-crop] Apples From China? Speaking as an apple consumer, I have concerns about China driving down price, and therefore quality, of U.S. grown fruit. But I tend to avoid food and children's toys that come out of China. (Like everyone else, most of my clothes and electronics have Chinese components. And I've had no problems with that.) -- Typed with Swype. Who knows what I meant to say? On August 15, 2014 10:26:03 AM EDT, Mike Arvay <[email protected]> wrote: I'm curious on what the group thinks about this proposed amendment to the U.S. Fruit and Vegetable Regulation which will allow the import of apples into the U.S. from China. I don't want this to become a "All things from China are bad." thread. But I can see both negative and positive possibilities on allowing this. They do recommend additional measures and actions other than the standard Port of Entry Inspection. http://www.regulations.gov/?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=13804591&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--B9po2Wh9EOEarH4oSyBng8hr9QeyW3LJQbTqn5DyDzYxmuMr2ciJZaLS1t7JjLaavRgsui8ZQ9El8DY6ATo7HsWEkbg&_hsmi=13804591#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2014-0003-0001 Thanks. Mike Arvay Small Grower in Central Indiana. ________________________________ apple-crop mailing list [email protected] http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop
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