The U.S. and China have agreed on a phytosanitary protocol that could allow the first commercial imports of American milled rice to that country by this spring.
“Arkansas rice farmers recognize that this highly anticipated agreement has been well worth the wait,” Steve Orlicek, Arkansas Rice Council chairman, said Monday. “We are optimistic about this market opportunity and will provide safe, high-quality rice to China’s consumers.”
A phytosanitary protocol is a government-to-government agreement that lays out the obligations of countries to prevent the transmission of harmful pests from the exporting to importing country, according to Ben Noble, executive director of Arkansas Rice.
U.S. Department of Agriculture officials have provided new details on how they intend to turn the phytosanitary protocol into actual export opportunities for U.S. rice.
“China is a huge consumer and importer of rice — the country imports in recent years have ranged between 2.25 million and 5 million metric tons of milled rice, and per capita consumption is 221 pounds a year, about 10 times that of the United States,” Noble said. “U.S. rice farmers and exporters have no access today to this huge market. Gaining even a small portion of China’s import market would be a major shot in the arm for the U.S. rice farmers, millers and exporters.”
Noble said that the estimated volume of U.S. exports to China could reach about 50,000 metric tons in the second year imports are allowed.
“Any Arkansas company that mills rice as well as facilities that store milled rice prior to shipment are potential winners,” Noble said. “More broadly, opening a new market like China means new demand for U.S. rice and that benefits Arkansas’ rice farmers, rice dryers, merchants, millers and exporters.”
Last week, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service laid out a series of steps on the path toward opening rice exports to China. They include separate inspections by APHIS and its Chinese counterpart of U.S. mills and storage facilities, and Chinese publication of a list of ports eligible to receive U.S. rice.
If no other hurdles arise, the Chinese would issue a decree authorizing imports. If the process stays on schedule, imports could be permitted by this spring, according to APHIS.
“Our industry has been at this for 10 years,” Noble said. “It looks like we have agreement on the technical wording of the protocol. In the end, Chinese officials will have to make the decision to legalize the import of U.S. rice, and that decision will likely rest on more than a technical agreement. USA Rice is working closely with the administration to determine how best to turn today’s technical agreement into tomorrow’s shipments of U.S. rice. We’re not taking our foot off the pedal.”
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