Dive Brief:
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that China will begin accepting imports of all U.S. apple varieties in the coming weeks.
- Previously, only Red Delicious and Golden Delicious varieties were imported to China.
- With this new deal, fresh apple exports in the U.S. could see about a 10% increase in the next two years.
Dive Insight:
In a news release, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack supported China's decision, saying, "The new access for American exports we're announcing today is the culmination of decades of hard work by USDA staff. These efforts will result in high quality, fresh U.S. apple varieties available for consumers in China and a significant boost in sales for American apple producers."