Apple Trade Pt 1
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with today’s Fruit Grower Report. Washington apple growers face many challenges, but the past few years have been extremely rough for many with issues like rising input costs, inflation in general, and finding adequate labor.USApple Association president Jim Bair says labor is probably the biggest challenge, but trade comes in a close second with the loss of major markets like India …
BAIR … “It’s almost 9,000 nautical miles from the Port of Seattle to the Port of Mumbai, India. And the fact that an apple from the PNW can travel six weeks on the high seas and when it gets there, not only is it still delicious, but it’s still affordable by people who are on extremely limited financial means. So, to me that’s a miracle of modern U.S. agriculture.”
But India, Bair says is out of the picture … at least for now …
BAIR … “Unfortunately, when the U.S. imposed aluminum tariffs on India, during the last administration, India responded by imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. apples. And so, the tariffs on U.S. apples going into India now are 70%.”
And that, Bair says is just a little too steep …
BAIR … “As a result, our exports there, which India had just become our number 2 market and was growing fast, and unfortunately those exports have basically just fallen off the cliff, and they’re almost zero.”
Tune in tomorrow for more on India and other potential trade markets for apples.