First Batch of Apples from China Heads for U.S.

On June 2, 2015 the first shipment of apples produced in China, bound for the US, left the province of Shanxi Province. China first applied to the US Department of Agriculture in 1988 for exporting apples to the US. A prolonged period of discussion between Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) on various technical and administrative issues followed.

In the ceremony marking the event, Mr. Chen Mao Sheng, Deputy Director of Animal and Plant Division, made a speech on behalf of AQSIQ. He pointed out that getting the permission to export apples to the US has been a challenging process, requiring the hard work of many quality inspection personnel. He hoped that all the export companies in the apple producing areas, including Shanxi, would treasure this opportunity and seriously implement the “Plant Quarantine Working Plan for the Shipment of Chinese Fresh Apples to the US”, under the guidance of quality inspection and quarantine institutions, to ensure healthy trade development and to leverage this opportunity to drive the improvement of quality and safety for China’s fresh fruit exports.

US is one of the top consuming countries for fresh fruits but is at the same time the most demanding country as far as plant quarantine and food safety are concerned. In the early periods of risk assessment, APHIS listed more than 800 types of pests. Discussions with the US by various scientists from APHIS, finally led to the shortening of this list to 22. The Chinese scientists also fought to ensure that the risk management arrangements are pragmatic and actionable, effectively reducing the growers’ production costs.

The first container of Chinese fresh apples to the US weighs 20.2 tons, and is expected to arrive in the US during the second half of June.

Source:  China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association, Animal and Plant Committee