Comment from jose allende, Fresh Fruit Logistics Inc.

Fresh Fruit Logistics Inc. is a California corporation dedicated to import Chilean and Mexican avocados. The core business of the firm is to distribute product to end users at the minimum cost for all the stakeholders (client and supplier). The firm, is an active member of the Chilean Avocado Importer Association (CAIA), a bi national organization that operates under the USDA`s Federal Promotion Program for Hass avocado. We are submitting the following comments to support the Elimination of the Tariff for Chilean Avocados under the “Chile FTA tariff acceleration”, US HTS # 0804-40-0010. By eliminating this tariff, the suppliers of FFL will be able to re direct the additional savings to activities related to the avocado trading in the United States of America, such as offering more competitive prices and compete more efficiently with other suppliers, such as Mexico and Peru, the main competitors of Chile in avocados, do not pay a tariff to enter the US market. Additionally, Chilean imports are subject to a 5 cent per kilogram assessment rate for funding of the Federal promotion program and that such assessment is by far more important than the tariff to the category since such funds are used to promote the consumption of Hass avocados in the U.S. By using Chilean, Californian and Mexican avocados, our firm is able to offer “Fresh Hass avocados” at a competitive price through out the entire calendar year. Also, we are able to combine supplies and offer our clients product from each origin at the best harvest time, encompassing a unique offering of best value and product with premium eating quality. Simultaneously, by using product from multiple sources, our firm retains services from various US vendors year around instead of seasonally (Trucking, services). We understand that keeping this tariff is counterproductive to the US avocados industry and the elimination of this tariff will allow the generation of a more efficient market.