04/28/05 Taiwan reopens to apples

04/28/05 Taiwan reopens to apples

Washington Ag April 28, 2005 Washington apple growers are getting their third largest export market back, which is good news after last year's huge crop. Taiwan, a particularly important market for Fuji apples, reopened its borders to Northwest and California apples yesterday. The nation had banned apple shipments back in December after some coddling moth larvae were found in separate shipments. The apple industry agreed to some prescreening requirements to get Taiwan to reopen and further negotiations are planned for June regarding the 2005 apple crop. The Washington State Department of Agriculture heard opposition at hearings this week to its proposal to hike some fruit and vegetable inspection fees. Jim Hazen, who testified on behalf of the Specialty Crop Coalition, says if money from the Fruit and Vegetable fund weren't used for general government overhead there wouldn't be a need for a fee increase. He says the industry and Ag Director Valoria Loveland are awaiting an opinion from the Attorney General on the fund transfer issue. Hazen: "And she maintains that if the AG opinion comes back and does indeed say that the department does not have the statutory authority, that they would quit taking the money out of that account, which at that point, the fee increase is unnecessary." The Department of Ecology is sending "heads up" letters to 44 water right holders along the Colville River this week informing them that the river's flow may drop to a point that requires them to stop irrigating this summer and fall. I'm Bob Hoff.
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