U.S. Apple Growers Seek Curbs on China

U.S. apple producers are asking the Commerce Department to impose penalty tariffs on apple juice concentrate from China of up to 91% to protect the American industry. “A flood of cheap apple juice concentrate imports from China is drowning much of our industry in a sea of red ink,” U.S. Apple Assn. President Kraig R. Naasz said. The apple growers say the Chinese are dumping juice concentrate in the U.S. market at prices below the cost of production or the home market price. U.S. growers say apple juice concentrate imports from China soared from 3,000 metric tons in 1995 to 40,000 metric tons in 1998. China is now the world’s largest producer of apples, with a 70% increase in production during the last five years. China’s share of the U.S. market has risen from 1% to 18%.