By Aldrich Tan/Staff writer

September 3, 2005

The People's Republic of China is poised to become a major agricultural world power. And Tulare County has everything to gain from it, industry observers say.

International trade is vital for the county, Agricultural Commissioner Gary Kunkel said. Tulare County's second-largest agricultural product, the navel orange, is one of China's big agricultural imports, he said.

"Exported products come at the best prices and they get the best return," Kunkel said.

And the demand is increasing.

As China's economy improves, said Bob Blakely, director of grower service at California Citrus Mutual, more individuals will be able to afford citrus products, which are considered a luxury item there.

The Chinese also look to Tulare County for the latest agricultural technology, said Eduardo Torres, director for the U.S. Commercial Service Office in Fresno.

And Chinese delegations periodically come to the county to learn more about farming practices, said Bill Appleby, ocunty assistant agricultural commissioner.

"They visit our packing houses, dairies, orchards and farms," he said. "They want to know how the whole realm of agriculture works in California."

Tulare's 2005 World Ag Expo

Between 10 percent and 20 percent of the 1,200 international visitors to the World Ag Expo in Tulare this year were Chinese, said Erin Machado, internationa marketing coordinator for the International Agri-Center.

Machado said efforts to provide Chinese-language instruction in Visalia will do more than help preserve a culture.

Fluency also will help those engaged in international business, she said.

The reporter can be reached at atan@visalia.gannett.com.