EFE News Service | November 27, 2000 Washington, Nov 27 (EFE).- The competition from imported Chinese apples has reduced the prices of apples produced in Virginia nearly by half this year, despite an excellent harvest, according to industry officials. Apples sent to juice producers are sold at approximately 2.8 dollars per 100 kilograms (220 pounds), and those for direct sale to the consumer receive 30 dollars per 100 kilograms (220 pounds). These prices are about half of what apple crops brought in last year, according to Bill Freeman, owner of a 123-acre (50 hectares) apple farm in Giles county. Since China entered the apple concentrate for juice market in 1995 that country's market share has increased from 1 percent to 18 percent, according to the Virginia Farm Bureau. On April 7, the U.S. Commerce Department determined that Chinese apple concentrate was sold in the United States for prices substantially lower than production costs and announced an anti-dumping tax on 51.74 percent of the apple concentrate for juice imported from China.EFE News Service:
