Apple Trade 2025 Pt 1
From the Ag Information Network, this is today’s Fruit Grower Report. Not that there aren’t enough challenges for agriculture these days, exports and trade bring some of the biggest.
Michael Schadler, President of the Washington Apple Commission, says there is plenty of market uncertainty out there right now, but no reason to panic …
SCHADLER … “So, it’s a competitive marketplace. We’ve got to be really good considering the distance we’ve got to ship those apples to be able to compete. But we still have some optimism there.”
So, Schadler says we’ll continue watching the trade talks very closely, which include our two biggest and most important trading partners and neighbors, Mexico and Canda …
SCHADLER … “Absolutely, and that proximity and, knock on wood, free trade that exists between those markets is key to that and I don’t see that changing any time soon, and hopefully not ever, but between those two countries, 50% of our exports go to those markets, you know, around 40% to Mexico alone. So, those really are hugely important markets for our industry.”
But Schadler says more export markets wouldn’t be a bad thing …
SCHADLER … “You know, there’s uncertainty there. On the one hand, we’re hopeful that the negotiations that are taking place will actually allow us to ship more markets, that the markets will become more open and that in some cases the duties will decrease.”
Listen tomorrow for more on what it will take to expand the export markets for Washington apples.
