- Spring 1995 "Update" Newsletter Article -

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New video offers info on exporting

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From CATI Publication #950401
Copyright © 1995. All rights reserved.

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Members of California's agricultural and agribusiness industries have a chance to gain new insights into international exporting through an educational video recently produced by the Center for Agricultural Business (CAB) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The 30-minute documentary is entitled "A Business of Details: Exporting High Value U.S. Agricultural Products." It outlines the steps involved in exporting a shipment of Fuji apples from a farm in California to a retail market in Taiwan.

The concept for the production was introduced by CSU, Fresno agricultural economics professor Juan Batista. With support from the California Agricultural Technology Institute (CATI) and CAB, Batista forged a production partnership for the project with officials of the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service. From there the team developed a storyline, arranged interviews with import/export specialists, and put together a professional production team to produce the documentary.

The video is aimed at two audiences: the beginning exporter who wants to overcome anxieties associated with the "first export deal"; and the experienced trader who has never seen the export process from start to finish, Batista explained. "The goal is to overview and stimulate curiosity into the process of 'forwarding' a perishable commodity for export."

The tape draws on the experience of four companies which have earned reputations for success in international trade. Company spokespersons include Richard Eastes, vice president of Suma Fruit International - as exporter; Luis Solis of Circle International Inc. - as freight forwarder; Patrick Brecht, Director of Special Commodities and Technical Services for American President Lines - as carrier; and Shou Shia Wang, vice president of WLH Group USA Inc. - as buyer.

The four specialists outline steps as well as strategies for successfully moving a perishable product from a California farm to a port /storage dock, to a container ship, to a foreign port and into the hands of the buyer. They also address the critical documentation process that must be followed to comply with international trade and banking regulations.

It's not a simple process, but it is one that can be conducted successfully by those who are willing to make the effort, Batista noted. And that is the point of the video - to give people enough resource information to help them launch into the process if they want to.

Batista said he is pleased with the video product that he first envisioned more than a year ago.

"To the best of my knowledge, this is the first place where an exporter can see all that happens from start to finish in the export process," he said.

The USDA also plans to publish a workbook that can be used as a follow-up to the video. Together they will provide important reference information for businesses and an effective resource tool for use in college and university agribusiness classes, Batista said.

The video is under copyright ownership of the USDA, but is available to the public. Persons interested in obtaining a copy or more information can contact Batista through CAB at (559) 278-4405.

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