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| Horticultural & Tropical Products Division | Return to the H&TP Home Page |
October 19, 2001
Philippine Ban on Chinese Fruits and Nuts Could Bring New Market Opportunities for U.S. Exporters
On October 11, 2001, the Philippine Department of Agriculture ordered a ban on most fruit and nuts imports from China, including apples, pears, apricots, peaches, plums, quinces, cherries, almonds, and walnuts. The ban was imposed in response to the interception of codling moths (Cydia pomonella) in a shipment of Chinese apples last week. This development could potentially bring new opportunities for U.S. fruit and nuts sales to the Philippines, at least until such time China is able to address related Philippine concerns and overturn the ban. Apples account for the bulk of the Philippines’ fruit and nut imports from China. In calendar year (CY) 2000, China’s apple exports to the Philippines totaled nearly 56,000 metric tons, valued at $16 million. This compares with shipments of 11,000 tons of U.S. apples, valued at $5 million in the same year. Normally, large volumes of apples are imported into the Philippines starting in November for the Christmas holiday season.
Binational Panel Announces Decision on Mexico/U.S. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) Antidumping Duties
On October 10, 2001, the NAFTA Binational Panel issued a final decision indicating that Government of Mexico did not sufficiently establish evidence of damage to the domestic sugar industry due to imports of U.S. HFCS. The Binational Panel agreed with earlier WTO and NAFTA decisions. Consequently, the Government of Mexico has 90 days to decide whether to: 1) concede that damage to the industry has not been proved, withdraw the antidumping duties on imported HFCS and refund past antidumping duties which have already been collected; or 2) proceed to re-evaluate the evidence/justification according to the specifications of this NAFTA panel to determine if there has been substantial damage to the domestic sugar industry.
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