Ralston Family Farms makes first official Arkansas rice sale to China

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Ralston Family Farms makes first official Arkansas rice sale to China

China has made its first purchase of Arkansas rice.  Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, alongside Tim and Robin Ralston made the announcement on Tuesday.  The sale was made through a private importer in China, and arrived in late July 2021.  A second shipment is being scheduled and future shipments are planned in regular intervals to meet demand.  The rice will be sold on the retail market under the label of Ralston Family Farms. 

China is the world’s largest producer, consumer, and importer of rice and until recently the market was closed to US imports.  The US rice industry has worked for more than a decade to establish a two-way trading relationship with China.  The Phase 1 Economic and Trade Agreement, which was signed in January 2020, expanded the potential for access to China’s rice market.

Arkansas Secretary of Ag Wes Ward says export markets are crucial to the state’s ag industry and they’re optimistic that this will open the door for additional market access for Arkansas agricultural commodities to China in the future. 

The Ralston family has farmed for more than 10 generations.  Ralston Family Farms only mills and packages rice they grow and can offer their customers 100% traceability. 

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