10/19/05 Cherries in China

With a near record crop of almost twelve million boxes this year, and by the estimates of Northwest Cherries' B.J. Thurlby, the potential to reach a fourteen million box crop within the next two years, there is a pressing need to find new markets. Such opportunity appears to be available in China, where Thurlby and others joined Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire on her recent trade mission in that country. THURLBY: We had an opportunity to meet with a pretty large contingent of importers in Beijing as well as in Shanghai. We spent quite a bit of time working close with the Governor, which is good. We all need to try to build relationships there, when and where we need to, so for that, the trip was outstanding. And Thurlby admits the first target for Northwest Cherries and its promotion in China is Shanghai. THURLBY: Immediately, I think Shanghai is going to be one of the next larger markets for sweet cherries. And if you look there, there's about thirty million people in that city. And they've got some money, there's definitely an emerging middle class. So, met some great prospects and we're trying to set up some promotional programs that we think will get those folks coming back here to our industry and hopefully ordering some cherries. Such promotion programs will begin early next year, designed to reach both importers and consumers of Northwest Cherries. THURLBY: And I think we can do some targeted promotions where we work with some retailers, reach out to the consumers that way, and get the importers excited about that.