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| Horticultural & Tropical Products Division | Return to the H&TP Home Page |
May 5, 2000
Washington State Vineyard Plantings Double in Size in Six Years
Total wine grape acreage in Washington state’s wine appellations has increased from 11,100 acres in 1993 to 24,806 acres in 1999, according to a USDA study. Wine grapes are now the fourth most important fruit crop in the state, after apples, cherries, and pears. Despite the increased acreage, the demand for Washington wines is greater than the grape supply. The growing demand for red wine has led to some important shifts in plantings from white to red wine grapes, with red acreage now exceeding white acreage. In 1999, 6 percent of Washington’s wine production was exported. Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan are the state’s top export markets. The Washington Wine Commission participates in the MAP program through the Northwest Wine Coalition. In 1999, total U.S. wine exports reached a record $540.9 million (2.8 million hectoliters), up 2 percent by value from the previous year.
U.S. Orange Exports to Korea Grow as Over-Quota Tariff Drops
U.S. exports of oranges to Korea are forecast to increase by 97 percent to about 70,000 metric tons in the 1999/2000 marketing year. The surge is the result of a decrease in the over-quota ad valorem tariff from 74.5 percent in 1999 to 69.6 percent in 2000. While the decrease in the over-quota tariff seems modest, it now makes exports outside of the Tariff Rate Quota system economically feasible for the first time. Industry contacts indicate that when the in-quota and over-quota tariffs equalize at 50 percent in 2004, the total market for imported citrus could grow by another 30-50 percent. Despite the high tariffs, U.S. exports to Korea reached $19.5 million in 1998/99 because of the willingness of Korean consumers to pay a premium for top quality citrus.
Record U.S. Almond Exports to China and Hong Kong
For the 1999/2000 marketing year to date (August-February), almond exports to China have increased over 300 percent in volume and 164 percent in value from the same period last year. While most of this growth is attributable to very low almond prices resulting from this year’s record California crop, past and present marketing efforts by the Almond Board of California (ABC) have also contributed to this increase. ABC’s marketing efforts include promoting the health effects and versatility of almonds to the emerging middle class in China. Although China produces a large number of bitter almonds, which are used in medicine, California supplies virtually all of the sweet almonds in China. 1999/2000 U.S. almond exports to China reached 7,356 metric tons in February and were valued at $17.5 million.
Prune Exports to Hong Kong Reach Record $2.1 million
Prune exports to date (August to February) destined for Hong Kong are up 187 percent from the same period last year and have already exceeded exports during marketing year 1998/99 (August to July) by $1.4 million to reach $2.1 million. Prune exports to Hong Kong during 1998/99 were valued at $742 thousand. It is estimated that 70 percent of prune exports to Hong Kong are transported to mainland China. Currently, direct U.S. prune exports to China are non-existent due to China’s 32 percent import duty, 17 percent VAT and the 5.1 percent consumption tax. Upon China's accession to the World Trade Organization, the prune tariff rate will immediately be reduced to 29 percent and continue to decline in equal annual increments until 2004 when the tariff will be 25 percent. Overall year to date prune exports to all destinations are valued at $80.4 million, down 6 percent from the same period last year.
Recent Opening of Yemeni Apple Market Should Further Boost U.S. Export Opportunities in the Middle East
According to the Agricultural Trade Officer headquartered in Riyadh, the Government of Yemen issued a decree lifting the import ban on fresh apples, effective March 23, 2000. This development follows longstanding FAS efforts to secure access to this market. Apple production in Yemen remains very limited (about 2,000 tons annually), with domestic supplies generally available for a very short time (mid May through July). As such, Yemen shows significant potential as a market for U.S. apples. In fact, significant quantities of apples have been entering the country via Saudi Arabia for several years through unofficial channels. U.S. fresh apple exports to the Middle East have increased considerably in recent years. In calendar year 1999, U.S. apple shipments to the region totaled nearly 60,000 tons, valued at $31 million, up 56 percent in volume and 39 percent in value from exports in 1995. It is estimated that U.S. apple sales to Yemen could approach $8 million by 2005.
USDA Proposes Change to Regulations on Fuji Apples from Republic of Korea
On April 26, USDA published a proposed rule to amend the regulations on Fuji apples imported from the Republic of Korea. Under this proposed rule, Fuji apples could be imported into the United States only under certain conditions which are designed to prevent the introduction of the peach fruit moth, the yellow peach moth, the fruit tree spider mite, and the kanzawa mite. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) would also require the Fuji apples to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the National Plant Quarantine Service (NPQS) of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Korea to verify compliance with the program. This proposed rule is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html. For more information, contact Dennis Hannapel, co-director of Asia and Pacific, phytosanitary issues management team, PPQ, APHIS, USDA 4700 River Road Unit 140, Riverdale, Md. 20737-1236, (301) 734-4308.
USDA Announces Trade Symposium in Mexico
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will hold a trade symposium June 5-7 in Mexico City, Mexico, to discuss animal and plant health trade relations between the United States and Mexico. Industry from both countries are invited to attend the symposium, which will feature speakers from USDA and Mexico's Ministry of Agriculture. The symposium will include updates on World Trade Organization and North American Free Trade Agreement activities as well as discussions on the resolution of trade conflicts and how industry can influence policies betweenthe United States and Mexico. Participants will have the opportunity to break out into plant and animal groups to discuss trade issues that affect their industry. In the sessions, sanitary and phytosanitary issues and eradication efforts will be discussed. In addition, the animal and plant health infrastructures and legislative processes of the United States and Mexico will be reviewed. For registration and location information, contact Karen Sliter, trade specialist for APHIS' International Services office in Mexico City at (tel) 011-525-520-4444, (fax) 011-525-540-5701, or (e-mail)
U.S. to Co-Host Annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Meeting
The United States and Japan are co-hosting the fourth annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Agricultural Technical Cooperation Experts Group on May 15 through May 19 in Kona, Hawaii. In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is sponsoring a two-day workshop at the APEC meeting to discuss alternative quarantine treatments and post-harvest handling methods. APEC was established in 1989 to promote cooperation in trade and other economic issues in the Pacific Rim. Discussion topics at the May meeting will include reports by working groups in the areas of: plant and animal quarantine and pest management; research, development, and the extension of agricultural biotechnology; and conservation and utilization of plant and animal genetic resources.
USDA to Hold Pest Risk Assessment Symposium
As part of an ongoing effort to improve the U.S. Department of Agriculture's approach to commodity pest risk analysis, USDA will hold a public meeting to discuss issues related to its commodity pest risk analysis process. The symposium will take place May 18 and 19, beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 5:00 p.m. on May 18, and from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on May 19. On-site registration and sign-in for preregistered participants will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. each morning. It will be held at the USDA Conference Center, 4700 River Road, Riverdale, Md. 20737. The meeting is free and open to the public. Advance registration is open until May 12. Advance registration forms are available on the Plant Protection and Quarantine website at www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq.
Progress Toward a North American Market for Pesticides
USDA Deputy Secretary Richard Rominger and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Deputy Minister Samy Watson co-chaired the second meeting of the North American Market for Pesticides on April 14, 2000 in Ottawa, Canada. The meeting was attended by more then 100 participants from across Canada and the United States, representing growers, the pesticide industry, as well as federal, state and provincial governments. The summit continues progress toward the U.S./Canada Record of Understanding (ROU) objective of pesticide harmonization and joint registration to minimize trade irritants. Regulatory agencies from both countries reported that joint reviews of many new chemicals were completed and also reported on progress of joint reviews and their current work sharing activities. Participants called for harmonization of maximum residue levels and the development of a North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) label. A full meeting report will be made available on the AAFC and USDA web sites. For further information on the U.S./Canada ROU please go to the FAS Home Page at and click on U.S./Canada trade issues.
EPA Extends Pesticide Tolerance Reassessment and Registration Period
On April 28, 2000, EPA announced via the Federal Register the extension of the comment period for the proposal for a public participation process for pesticide tolerance reassessment and registration. The proposal is in response to a joint initiative between EPA and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to increase transparency and stakeholder involvement in the development of pesticide risk assessments and risk management documents and decisions. EPA and USDA have been actively employing a pilot public participation process for tolerance re-assessment and re-registration of organophosphate pesticides for over 1 year (since August 1998), which was developed in consultation with the Tolerance Reassessment Advisory Committee (TRAC). Consideration must now be given as to whether this public participation process or some modification of it should be adopted as the final process, and whether it should be used for tolerance reassessment and re-registration of all pesticides. All comments must be received on or before May 15, 2000. For further information contact Karen Angulo, Special Review and Re-registration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide Programs, EPA, at telephone number (703) 308-8004 or e-mail address, angulo.karen@epa.gov.
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