A new trade agreement was signed between China and the USA to allow the latter to export all varieties of apples to the East Asian country
According to US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the agreement opens up a new consumer base to US-based growers and could spur a 10 per cent growth in the apple-growing industry over the next two years.
Jim Bair, CEO of US Apple Association, said, “The deal has the potential to create sales of five million bushels of apples worth US$100mn. That is double the amount of apples that were shipped to China when imports were last allowed. The entire USA apple industry was valued at US$1bn in 2013.”
Bair added that China stopped buying apples from the USA in 2012 because of concerns over a fungus.
Tom Vilsack, agriculture secretary of USA noted, “Apple growers in the country should benefit from the new trade agreement that opens the Chinese market to all varieties of fresh US-grown apples even though the agreement may also open Chinese-grown fresh apples to American consumers.”
Vilsack revealed that the agreement also has the potential to expand fresh apple exports to other Asian markets.
