China has announced that it is opening its doors to US apple imports of all varieties, in a move that may provide a boost to the US export market, to the tune of $100 billion.
The deal is reciprocal, in that it also offers Chinese growers the opportunity to sell to US markets.
China is currently the world's largest apple-growing nation by volume, producing around 1.9 billion boxes a year.
"With this new agreement, the apple industry estimates that within two years, exports to China will reach 5 million bushels annually, a value of nearly $100 million per year," US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack commented earlier this week.
Diane Smith, executive director of the Michigan Apple Committee, told China Daily that while the move should be positive for US growers, caution will need to be taken to avoid an oversupply of Chinese apples to the US market.
"It's something we're going to be watching, to make sure nothing is taking over our market share," Smith said.
© 2015 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article written by Stephen Wynne-Jones.
