04/28/05 What Japan ruling might mean

This isn't the first time the U.S. took Japan before the World Trade Organization over phytosanitary barriers placed on our apples over Japanese concerns of fireblight. The W.T.O. sided with the U.S. several years ago in the original case. But Bill Bryant of international marketing firm Bryant and Christie said even that ruling didn't force Japan to lift its phytosanitary ban. BRYANT: The United States argued with Japan that not enough had been done to come into compliance with the W.T.O. ruling. Japan insisted it that they had done enough. And so the United States took Japan back to the W.T.O. A ruling on the matter is expected next month. And if the outcome again favors the U.S., as it is being preliminarily reported, by press in Europe and Japan, then the victory is not only in reopening a market effectively closed by the strict phytosanitary barriers. Bryant says a favorable ruling for the U.S. and its apple industry could force other nations taking similar positions as Japan to let our apples into their markets. BRYANT: Both Australia and South Africa maintain restrictions on Northwest apples based on fireblight. So we look forward to applying this precedent in South Africa and Australia as well. Both of those are southern hemisphere markets. And we believe both could take fruit between the October-January period when we need to move a lot of apples.