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| Horticultural & Tropical Products Division | Return to the H&TP Home Page |
August 1, 2000
U.S.-Vietnam Trade Agreement to Provide Lower Tariffs,
Enhanced Export Opportunities, for Horticultural Products
The recently concluded bilateral trade agreement between the
United States and Vietnam will reduce tariffs on horticultural
products by an average of 30 percent by 2004 and, in the process,
bring about expanded export opportunities in this promising
market. For example, tariffs are expected to fall from 40 percent
ad valorem to 15 percent for strawberries, cranberries and
kiwifruit; 40 percent to 25 percent for grapes, raisins, apples
and pears; and from 30 percent to 20 percent for fresh and
chilled tomatoes, onions, garlic, cauliflower, lettuce, carrots,
cucumbers, eggplant, mushrooms and frozen potatoes. In CY1999,
direct U.S. horticultural and tropical product exports to Vietnam
were valued at $8.4 million, up from $5.3 million in the
preceding year. Beverage bases ($4.5 million), table grapes
($950,000), apples ($655,000), frozen sweet corn ($529,000), and
raisins ($150,000) were the leading export items in that year.
Mexico Re-Opens Market To California Apricots
Effective June 26, 2000, Mexico re-opened its market to
California apricots. Mexico had canceled the California apricot
program on June 13, 2000, following the detection of pests on one
shipment, including peach twig bore and the omnivorous leaf bore.
Although these pests were not identified in the work plan as
being of quarantine concern, Mexico insisted that a risk
assessment be presented to its domestic fruit industry. Moreover,
the Mexicans have noted that a revision of the work plan’s
identified pests of concern will take place at the end of the
current shipping season. Mexico is the second largest destination
for California apricots. In 1999, California exported a record
3,800 tons of apricots to Mexico, valued at more than $3 million.
Korean Delegation Tours U.S. Citrus Areas
A Korean delegation traveled to U.S. citrus areas July 18-27 to
review fruit fly regulatory activities in California and Florida.
Korea’s market for imported oranges was liberalized in 1995
with the establishment of a tariff rate quota (TRQ) system. Since
then there have been periodic disruptions of trade due to
questionable TRQ administration and phytosanitary policy
irregularities. Korean acceptance of APHIS exotic fruit fly
quarantine zones is a key issue affecting the future of U.S.
citrus exports to Korea’s large and growing market. This
industry-funded trip is part of USDA’s continuing effort to
work to resolve the quarantine issue with Korea on the basis of
sound science. In addition to this trip, APHIS is providing
information on all aspects of the pests and their life cycles to
describe how U.S. quarantine zones are created.
Australia’s Notification of Methyl Bromide Fumigation
Requirements
Comments on Australia’s methyl bromide fumigation
requirements are due by August 20. To see the actual text, go to
the AQIS website at and scroll down to AQIS Quarantine Treatments
Aspects and Procedures (G/SPS/N/AUS/118). Comments may be
submitted directly to AQIS or through Carolyn Wilson, FAS/Food
Safety and Technical Services Division by fax (202-690-0677).
USDA Announces Major Purchase of Pears
USDA will purchase 64 million pounds (1.4 million cases) of
canned pears. The fruit will be donated to the school lunch
program and to needy families through food banks and other food
assistance organizations. Pear growers, along with many other
farmers and ranchers, are experiencing a difficult year, made
worse by a major California cooperative's bankruptcy filing. The
cooperative had contracted with many growers to purchase this
year's pear crop. The uncertainty generated by the bankruptcy and
canning capacity concerns in the upcoming season has created a
surplus of pears, which today's action is intended to alleviate.
Invitations to bid, including final details and specifications,
will be mailed to pear vendors at a later date. Deliveries will
be made Oct. 1, 2000 through Sept. 30, 2001. Further information
can be obtained from the Commodity Procurement Branch, Fruit and
Vegetable Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Room 2548-S, Washington, DC
20090-6456, telephone (202)720-4517 or on the web at
www.ams.usda.gov/cp/.
More than 40,000 Comments Received on Revised Organic Food
Standards
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on July 18, 2000
that 40,774 public comments were submitted on its revised
National Organic Program proposed rule. The comment period for
the proposed rule, which would establish national standards for
the production and handling of organically produced products,
closed on June 12. A final rule is expected by the end of 2000.
The proposal was published in the March 13 Federal Register, and
also can be found on the National Organic Program home page:
www.ams.usda.gov/nop. All comments can be viewed at this same
site.
Cultivated Blueberry Producers and Importers Approve
National Promotion Program
Producers and importers of cultivated blueberries have voted to
approve a national promotion program. The vote was taken in a
referendum conducted by USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service
from March 13 through April 14. In the referendum, 67.8 percent
of those who voted favored implementation of the order. Those who
voted in favor represented 73.2 percent of the volume of
cultivated blueberries represented in the referendum. Any current
producer or importer of 2,000 pounds or more of cultivated
blueberries during the 1999 calendar year was eligible to vote.
The program will become effective 30 days after final publication
in the Federal Register. The program will be funded by an
assessment of $12 per ton of domestic cultivated blueberries and
$12 per ton of fresh and processed imported cultivated
blueberries starting in 2001. The program is the second to be
implemented under the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Consumer
Information Act of 1996. A program for peanut producers was
implemented in July 1999.
USDA Solicits Petitions to Amend List of Substances Used in
Organic Production and Handling
The U.S. Department of Agriculture invites interested parties to
petition the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) to amend the
proposed National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances
(National List). Petitioners may recommend substances for
inclusion on or removal from the National List. The proposed
National List is a part of the March 13, 2000, revised National
Organic Program (NOP) proposal. The National List is developed by
the NOSB, through consultation with outside experts, and
forwarded to the Secretary of Agriculture for approval.
Specifically, the National List identifies those synthetic
substances that may be used and the non-synthetic substances that
cannot be used in organic production and handling. All amendments
to the proposed National List of Allowed and Prohibited
Substances will be published in the Federal Register for public
comment. Individuals wishing to submit a petition to amend the
proposed National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances or
obtain additional information may contact Robert Pooler at
USDA/AMS/TMP/NOP, Room 2510 So., P.O. Box 96456, Washington, D.C.
20090-6456; phone 202-720-3252; fax 202-205-7808 or via e-mail at
robert.pooler@usda.gov. Details will appear in the July 13
Federal Register. The public comment period for the revised NOP
proposal closed June 12, 2000. For more information, please see
the program's website at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop. The final
NOP rule is expected to be published in the Federal Register by
the end of the year.
Country-Of-Origin Labeling Rules Trouble for Small
Retailers
On July 1, 2000, the Japanese Agricultural Standards Law mandated
that all retail stores show the country of origin on many
perishable food items. According to media reports, while major
supermarkets and department stores have revised or improved their
labeling systems to indicate the country of origin, small
retailers are failing to conform to the new regulations. An
official of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(MAFF) said that they want to encourage small retailers to follow
the rules through industry organizations.
New Agriculture Minister Appointed in Japan
The new Mori Cabinet was launched on Tuesday, July 4. Yoichi Tani
was appointed the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries. Mr. Tani's political goal, according to news reports,
is to revitalize farming communities and villages in mountainous
areas. He previously served as chairman of a Liberal Democratic
Party (LDP) Special Committee on depopulation and an LDP research
commission on agricultural policy. Media sources indicate the
current cabinet will be reshuffled again in December this year.
Japan’s Ministry of Health to Adopt Ag Ministry’s
GM Food Labeling Policy
On July 13, the Ministry of Health and Welfare Special Labeling
Committee issued its final recommendations for labeling of
genetically modified foods. The Committee decided mandatory GM
food labeling is necessary "in order to clearly reveal the
contents of a food". However, recognizing the practical
limitations of mandatory labeling of processed GM foods, the
Committee decided to limit labeling to the same 24 foods under
the Ministry of Agriculture's policy, to be implemented on April
1, 2001. On this date, 24 whole and semi-processed foods made
from corn and soybeans must be labeled as "GM" or
"not segregated" unless manufacturers use non-GM
ingredients (for details see attaché report JA9154 which is
available online at: /scriptsw/attacherep/default.asp
).
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