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World
Trade Situation and Policy Updates
The Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) announced plans on October 9, to conduct a national
survey for potato mop top virus (PMTV), the results of which will represent
every certified seed lot in the United States.
USDA is funding this survey under the Technical Assistance for Specialty
Crops (TASC) program. PMTV was
confirmed for the first time in the United States in Maine in August 2002. In
order to determine the distribution of PMTV in seed-producing states, APHIS will
test approximately 3,000 tubers per state. The samples will include tubers from all certified seed lots
grown in the 17 states that produce certified seed potatoes.
The results of the PMTV survey, which will be available in late 2002,
will form the basis for any future regulatory action by APHIS.
If PMTV is determined to have limited distribution, APHIS will consider
regulatory steps to prevent the interstate movement of infected seed.
PMTV, which does not affect humans, is a soil borne virus transmitted by
the fungus that causes potato powdery scab disease.
PMTV may cause discoloration, or necrotic rings in infected tubers, as
well as various types of mottling and stunting in above ground portions of
infected plants. Losses of up to 20
percent have been reported as a result of reduced tuber production and loss of
tuber quality.
On October 11, 2002, NASS
released preliminary estimates for the 2002/03 citrus crops in the United
States. The initial forecast for
2002/03 orange production is 10.3 million tons, down 10 percent from last year.
All of the reduction is the result of a lower crop in Florida.
Florida’s orange crop is forecast at 8.0 million tons, 14 percent below
last year’s level. Somewhat
offsetting the decline in Florida’s production is a nearly 13-percent rise in
California’s orange crop. Most of
Florida’s orange crop is utilized for juice production, whereas the majority
of California’s crop goes for fresh use.
In addition, the majority of the oranges that the United States exports
are navel oranges from California. During
the current marketing year, November-July 2001/02, U.S. exports of oranges
totaled 465,738 metric tons, down 12 percent from the previous year.
Canada, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, and China are the United States largest
markets for oranges accounting for 86 percent of the November-July 2001/02
total. With the larger supplies of
navel oranges forecast from California, U.S. exports of oranges in 2002/03
should post a recovery. U.S.
production of grapefruit is forecast to decline again in 2002/03 to 2.0 million
tons, down 8 percent from 2001/02. This
will be the lowest production level since the freeze reduced 1989/90 level.
U.S. exports of grapefruit during the current marketing year,
September-July 2001/02 totaled 392,603 metric tons, an increase of nearly 3
percent from 2000/01. With the
forecast drop in production for 2002/03, supplies available for export are
estimated to be down as well. Japan
is by far the largest market for U.S. grapefruit, accounting for 50 percent of
the total this marketing year.
The much-anticipated final rule to renew the importation of Spanish
clementines was signed by Deputy Under Secretary Butler on Tuesday, October 15,
2002, and was effective immediately. The
new requirements include provisions that the clementines be grown in accordance
with a Mediterranean fruit fly management program established by the government
of Spain, that the clementines be subject to an inspection regimen that includes
fruit cutting before and after cold treatment, and that the clementines meet
other conditions designed to protect against the introduction of the
Mediterranean fruit fly.
According to the latest estimate from the California Agricultural
Statistics Service (CASS), the state is set to produce a bumper crop of 127,008
tons of pistachios in 2002. Growers
claim that the crop is the best quality they have ever seen at this stage of the
harvest. The outlook for marketing
the record volume is bright due to continued strong global demand, a lack of
carryover into 2002 and possibly into 2003, and because of the crop’s overall
high quality. In calendar year
2001, the United States exported 33,211 tons of pistachios, with an associated
value of approximately $109 million. China,
Belgium, and Germany were the top three export destinations in 2001, purchasing
around 50 percent of the total export quantity with a value of $46.5 million.
Markets in Europe, China, Japan, and Canada continue to grow at a rapid
rate.
Commerce Department Seeks
Public Comment On Chinese Apple Juice Antidumping Duties
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) has requested public comments for its first annual review of the antidumping order against apple juice concentrate from China. The request follows a July 2002 preliminary determination by the department, which proposed to eliminate the 51.74 percent antidumping duties on imported apple juice for 10 Chinese producers. During the first administrative review of the antidumping decision, the ITA changed the method of calculating the cost of production of apple juice concentrate in India, which was used as a surrogate market economy for China. ITA has invited comments by October 31, 2002, on whether the Indian juice apple price used was correct or if another country should be use as a surrogate. In May 2000, the United States began applying antidumping duties of up to 51.74 percent on Chinese concentrate apple juice, following a finding that Chinese concentrate was sold in the U.S. market at prices below production costs, causing economic harm to U.S. concentrate producers. Following the initiation of the dumping investigation, imports from China dipped, but they have rebounded to levels exceeding the pre-dumping case levels. In fact, apple juice from China remains among the lowest-priced options for U.S. importers, with that country supplying over 16 percent of the total volume imported in calendar year 2001. Other leading suppliers to the United States include Argentina, Chile, and Germany. In 2001, the volume of U.S. imports of Chinese apple juice increased 13 percent to 215 million liters, while the associated value fell 12 percent to $33 million.
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