B.C. cherry farmers are rejoicing at an agreement this week between Canada and China that removes restrictions that have kept B.C. cherry exports to mainland China very low.
The agreement comes one year after the two governments first agreed to allow B.C. cherries to enter mainland China. Previously, B.C. cherry exports were only allowed in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The agreement last summer, however, only allowed a small number of registered cherry growers to sell their fruit to mainland Chinese distributors.
The 2013 agreement also subjected that fruit to orchard inspections aimed at ensuring that various undesirable insects were not present.
“The agreement removes the condition of orchard inspection, greatly expanding the number of producers and volume of B.C. cherries that can be directly exported to China,” explained B.C.’s ministry of Agriculture in a statement sent to Business in Vancouver June 18.
Last year was the inaugural year that B.C. shipped fresh cherries to mainland China and growers realized $3.9 million.
With the agreement signed this week, B.C. cherry growers estimate that they will generate up to $20 million dollars in annual cherry exports to mainland China.
B.C. blueberry exports, however, remain unable to enter mainland China.
“The B.C. government has worked closely with cherry growers, the federal government and Chinese importers to reach this agreement,” B.C. Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick said in a statement. “We look forward to building on this momentum and playing the same role in helping gain access for fresh B.C. blueberries, as well as working to expand the markets for B.C. pork, wine, seafood and other products.”
He estimated that liberalized trade rules could mean $65 million worth of annual B.C. blueberry exports to mainland China.
Another person who has long been supportive of having B.C. fruit exports in China is China’s consul general in Vancouver, Liu Fei.
She told Business in Vancouver in 2012 that B.C. cherries and blueberries should be on Chinese supermarket shelves because they're high quality and it would lower prices for Chinese consumers, who now pay high prices for the fruit.
One of Fei's first trips within B.C. was to the Okanagan.
“I like to promote B.C. cherries and blueberries as China’s market is a big one and B.C. has big production,” she said at the time. “We're looking for new [import] markets.”
