Fryhover: Tariffs Not A Concern, Yet

The recently announced tariffs by China against American products, specifically American ag, have many in the U.S. concerned.  China is a chief destination for Washington apples.  Todd Fryhover, President of the Washington Apple Commission said China is a market where growers see real value in shipping high quality products at better than market prices.  He noted that what President Trump is doing with trade is concerning for apple growers.

“But at the same time, we’re through a majority of our season so I wouldn’t say its imminently difficult for us today at this stage, but as we move in to the next season, it will definitely return to a high priority.”

Between China, renegotiation of NAFTA, tweaking KORUS, many in the Ag community are unease about the U.S’s trade policy.  So, what do apple growers need?  Fryhover said free and unencumbered trade planes.

“So, anytime that we hear there is a disruption, whether it’s a revisiting of an old tariff that’s been in place since 1984, or it’s the non-inclusion, of being included in TPP, or it’s the steel and aluminum issue coming out of China, it seems like trade and agriculture are always at the forefront of having issues.”

Fryhover said he believes the Administration is listening to the concerns of growers and producers across the U.S.

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