On January 24th, 2014, we held in Shanghai our first forum with the delegations of U.S. Pistachio Association, Pecan Association, Almond Association, Walnut Association, and Hazelnut Association. Weng Yangyang, the Executive Vice President and Chen Hu, the Vice President, have both attended the meeting.

Delegates from each association have introduced the detailed condition of business of their products and related problems. Additionally, they have proposed to us suggestions and advice.

Based on the problems and suggestions the U.S. Nut Associations having put forward, Weng Yangyang has given clarification in three aspects.

On the misunderstanding of the producing area of America Hazelnut. Currently, most Chinese consumers believe America Hazelnut is merely a name, not representing the place of production. The key to this is proper advertisement, which urges the U.S. Hazelnut Association to inform Chinese consumers the origin of hazelnuts. It is highly recommended that the U.S. Hazelnut Association register and establish companies or other agencies, and strengthen communication with China’s related associations and processing enterprises.

On the relatively high tariff rate of Pecan and its registered residence. In China, Tariff rates of both the imported nuts and domestic nuts are categorized under the range of agricultural tariff rates, which are designed and adjusted by China’s Financial and Tax Department. Request Reports about adjusting or reducing tax rate based on business condition are handed in to Financial and Tax Department on a yearly basis. This year, China has already issued announcement about the reduction of taxation on imported almond (with shell), cashew nuts, pistachio, and macadamia nuts, starting from January 1st, 2014.  In order to solve the problem of Pecans’ registered residence, we will undertake cooperation with the U.S. Pecan Association, and try to figure out certain solution.

On the Chinese translation of “Almond”. China’s Tariff Commission has issued announcement correcting the Chinese translation of the imported almond to “扁桃仁”. This starts from January 1st, 2014. The former translation “巴旦木”can still be labeled on products. On December 17th, 2013, we handed in a formal document to China’s State Food and Drug Supervision Bureau to explain the translation problem, which has now been solved. Both China and the United States should learn from the experience that communication and cooperation is of great significance to similar problems in the future.

In the rest of the meeting, Weng Yangyang and Chen Hu respectively introduced main events that shall be organized among China’s Nut Business in 2014. In April, 2014, there will be the 8th Nut Exhibition in Anhui Province, which is the biggest annual gathering in the industry. There will also be advertisement and promoting activities to expand the market. Review and Recommendation of new technology projects will be introduced. And the U.S. counterparts in business will be invited to many of those events in China.

In the end of the meeting, both sides gave a high appraisal to what has been achieved. This has strengthened communication and mutual understanding, and in addition, it has solved problems professionally. Both sides have agreed on holding such a forum in every January.

ATO of the U.S. embassy and we have originally initiated this meeting. The Agricultural Trade Office of Shanghai Consulate of the American Embassy has hosted the meeting.

Keith Schneller, Consul of the Agricultural Trade office of the American Consulate, Xu Min and Xu Zhen, the Marketing Executives, and Lin Jianhong, representative of the United States Paramount Farm, and delegates of California Trade and Investment Council, have attended the meeting.