CHINESE DELEGATES TOUR CITRUS GROWING, PACKING, SHIPPING OPERATIONS.Byline: Cecilia Chan Staff Writer SANTA PAULA Santa Paula (săn`tə pôl`ə), city (1990 pop. 25,062), Ventura co., S Calif., on the Santa Clara River in a fertile valley that yields citrus fruits, avocados, vegetables, flowers, nursery products, and walnuts; laid out 1875, inc. - A delegation of Chinese officials toured the citrus groves of Ventura County on Wednesday in preparation for launching a multimillion-dollar trade deal between the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. and China. The group is making its way across the agricultural sites of the country, inspecting pest trapping and eradication programs to ensure that exported citrus - oranges, lemons, grapefruit grapefruit, pomelo (pŏm`əlō), or pummelo (pum`məlō), citrus fruit (Citrus paradisi) of the family Rutaceae (orange family). and tangerines - will be protected, officials said. ``This is the last step to opening the market,'' said Claire Peters, spokeswoman for Sunkist Growers, one of the hosts of the daylong tour. China signed an agreement last April to open its market to U.S. citrus. The landmark deal, however, hinges on what the Chinese inspectors find during their tours, Peters said. She was not sure when the Chinese would decide whether they approve of the traps and programs. Ventura County's No. 1 cash crop is lemons, part of the county's nearly $1 billion agricultural industry. ``It represents a major potential increase in exports to the Pacific Rim Pacific Rim, term used to describe the nations bordering the Pacific Ocean and the island countries situated in it. In the post–World War II era, the Pacific Rim has become an increasingly important and interconnected economic region. ,'' said Rex Laird, executive director of Ventura County Farm Bureau. ``Anytime you can increase the number of customers, that's a major benefit.'' Laird was confident the county's crops showed well during the tour. ``I think we do an excellent job here of covering the issues that they would be concerned about.'' Peters said the Chinese delegates' response during Wednesday's tour was ``very positive and very good.'' The tour included a visit to a packinghouse in Fillmore and the shipping area at the Port of Hueneme. Fruit from Ventura County currently is exported to Japan from that port, Peters said. The inspectors are scheduled to visit Kern and Tulare counties later this week and proceed to the San Joaquin Valley Noun 1. San Joaquin Valley - a vast valley in central California known for its rich farmland Calif., California, Golden State, CA - a state in the western United States on the Pacific; the 3rd largest state; known for earthquakes , Peters said. The group has visited Florida, Texas and Arizona. California is its last stop before returning home. At each site, the group visited with the agricultural commissioner. Wednesday's tour included state and federal officials, including Rep. Elton Gallegly Elton W. Gallegly (born March 7 1944), an American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1987, currently representing the 24th District of California (map). , R-Simi Valley. Peters said the citrus industry of California and Arizona could see sales of more than $500 milliion over the next five years if China opens its doors. CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color in Verb 1. color in - add color to; "The child colored the drawings"; "Fall colored the trees"; "colorize black and white film" color, colorise, colorize, colour in, colourise, colourize, colour Conejo and Simi edition -- ran in SAC edition) Qin Hanchang of the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Chinese Consulate and Xia Hongmin tour citrus groves in Fillmore on Wednesday. Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer (2 -- color in Business section only -- ran in SAC edition) Chinise officials and American growers share a chuckle Wednesday in Fillmore. |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion