QUINCY, Grant County — Washington apple growers, having survived a wild and crazy 2022, are making the turn into a new year with a market that’s looking pretty good domestically but facing some export challenges.
Riley Bushue, director of congressional relations and export programs for the Northwest Horticultural Council, cited Washington apple sales to India as an example of the export issues.
“In India, we face retaliatory tariffs on apples,” he said. “Those were put in place by India in 2018 in response to the U.S. putting in place steel and aluminum Section 232 tariffs.”
Section 232 of the Trade Expansion act provides the U.S. president with the power to adjust imports, including with the use of tariffs, if imports are found to be a threat to national security. Then-President Donald Trump utilized that power in March of 2018 to establish a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum from most nations with the exceptions of Canada and Mexico, according to the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security.
Bushue estimated Washington growers sold about $120 million worth of apples to India in 2017-18 before the tariffs were imposed. He estimated 2022 sales at about $3 million.
“That’s in large part due to those tariffs,” he said.
“We have a similar situation happening in China, where we have retaliatory tariffs as well,” he said. “Combined, between India and China, those have cost our industry over the last four years — a few more than four years now — over $800 million. So that’s a huge challenge that we’re working through.
Article from the Seattle times. 120 million exports to India down to 3 million. Drastic drop off. Hopefully they can get to another market to make the difference but not sure if that will happen.
Riley Bushue, director of congressional relations and export programs for the Northwest Horticultural Council, cited Washington apple sales to India as an example of the export issues.
“In India, we face retaliatory tariffs on apples,” he said. “Those were put in place by India in 2018 in response to the U.S. putting in place steel and aluminum Section 232 tariffs.”
Section 232 of the Trade Expansion act provides the U.S. president with the power to adjust imports, including with the use of tariffs, if imports are found to be a threat to national security. Then-President Donald Trump utilized that power in March of 2018 to establish a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum from most nations with the exceptions of Canada and Mexico, according to the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security.
Bushue estimated Washington growers sold about $120 million worth of apples to India in 2017-18 before the tariffs were imposed. He estimated 2022 sales at about $3 million.
“That’s in large part due to those tariffs,” he said.
“We have a similar situation happening in China, where we have retaliatory tariffs as well,” he said. “Combined, between India and China, those have cost our industry over the last four years — a few more than four years now — over $800 million. So that’s a huge challenge that we’re working through.
Article from the Seattle times. 120 million exports to India down to 3 million. Drastic drop off. Hopefully they can get to another market to make the difference but not sure if that will happen.
