Feb 25, 2020China to allow fresh US chipping potatoes
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced Feb. 25 that China has taken numerous actions to begin implementing its agriculture-related commitments under the landmark U.S.-China Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement on schedule. The agreement entered into force on Feb. 14, 2020.
These actions include:
- Signing a protocol that allows the importation of U.S. fresh chipping potatoes (U.S. Chipping Potatoes Protocol Announcement);
- Lifting the ban on imports of U.S. poultry and poultry products, including pet food containing poultry products (Poultry and Poultry Products Announcement);
- Lifting restrictions on imports of U.S. pet food containing ruminant material (Pet Food with Ruminant Ingredients Announcement);
- Updating lists of facilities approved for exporting animal protein, pet food, dairy, infant formula, and tallow for industry use to China;
- Updating the lists of products that can be exported to China as feed additives; and
- Updating an approved list of U.S. seafood species that can be exported to China.
In addition, China has begun announcing tariff exclusions for imports of U.S. agricultural products subject to its retaliatory tariffs (Tariff Exclusion Process Announcement), and it announced a reduction in retaliatory tariff rates on certain U.S. agricultural goods (Tariff Rate Adjustment Announcement). These types of actions will facilitate China’s progress toward meeting its Phase One purchase commitments.
“President Trump and this Administration negotiated a strong trade agreement with China that promises significant benefits for American agriculture,” Secretary Perdue said. “We look forward to realizing these benefits this year and are encouraged by progress made last week. We fully expect compliance with all elements of the deal.”
Ambassador Lighthizer said: “President Trump signed the Phase One agreement a little more than a month ago and we are already seeing positive results. Under the President’s leadership, we will ensure the agreement is strictly enforced for the benefit of our workers, farmers, ranchers and businesses.”
NPC reaction
Specifically for the U.S. potato industry, the actions include signing a historic protocol that allows the importation of U.S. fresh chipping potatoes from the states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
“The U.S. potato industry welcomes this important announcement that will allow U.S. fresh potatoes to be exported to China for the first time,” said NPC Vice President of Trade Affairs Jared Balcom. “We’d like to thank the dedicated officials from USDA’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and the U.S. Trade Representative’s office (USTR) for their efforts to provide U.S. potato industry this opportunity. Numerous late night calls between USDA and their Chinese counterparts have occurred since the announcement of the China Phase One Trade Agreement in January to allow the Chinese market to open.
“Today’s announcement is 20 years in the making and will allow Chinese consumers for the first time to enjoy potato chips sourced from high-quality U.S. fresh potatoes. We look forward to developing and expanding this vital market.”
China is currently a top-10 export market for U.S. potatoes, primarily in processed products. With a combination of competitive tariffs and enhanced market access, China could become a top-five market in the near future.
