Agriculture Leaders Head to China

North Carolina’s Commissioner of Agriculture is in China this week. This is the second trip to that country since 2009. 

Ag Commissioner Steve Troxler doesn’t necessarily like the long air plane trip to China.   But he says it’s worth it.  Troxler says after the 2009 trade mission – China increased its purchase of North Carolina tobacco by close to 40-percent.  Sales of soybeans and cotton also increased.

"Two weeks after we returned to North Carolina we had a representative from a major denim manufacturer and cotton come over and look at North Carolina and sample cotton.  And from that one trip we sold 5,000 bails of North Carolina cotton."

In dollars – China is the second largest importer of North Carolina agricultural products – behind Japan.  A 30-person delegation is joining Troxler on the China trip which will also include Hong Kong and Vietnam.