European produce group ARC Eurobanan announced that it will be exporting Spanish citrus to China this season, citing strong interest from the Asian nation now that it has closed its doors to imports from California.

The group's international marketing director Ramón Rey met last week with agricultural representatives from the Spanish embassy to coordinate the trade scheme.

Embassy agriculture minister Javier Sierra said there is a unique opportunity for Spanish citrus in China to bounce back from economic crisis and low prices on the European markets.

Rey commented, "the Chinese market interests us as producers, as exporters and as Spaniards.

"However, the complexity of the distribution system in the Asian giant will require extraordinary effort, proper logistics and efficient costs to compete with local production."

The group highlighted China's strict phytosanitary standards, established between the nation's in 2007, but expressed hope of excelling in the Asian market.

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