Sandison: We Are Disappointed By China’s Tariffs

China plans to implement tariffs on 128 American products, mostly agricultural, in response to the steel and aluminum tariffs from the Trump administration.  Soon, after that announcement from Beijing, the Washington State Department of Agriculture announced its disappointment.  WSDA Director Derek Sandison said there is concern these tariffs will greatly hit the sweet cherry industry, which shipped nearly $100 million of product to China in 2017, as well as Washington apples, which shipped $17.6 million last year.

Sandison said there are a number of trade issues before the Washington ag community.

“NAFTA’s been the big topic for years, but more recently the TPP-11 agreement signals some concerns with respect to our Pacific Rim partners like Japan, and now with tariff’s on top of it, it make it a complex set of issues.”

Sandison said farmers across Washington must continue to apply pressure to the USTR and USDA to ensure those directly impacted by trade are heard.  Sandison added when the U.S. pulled out of TPP last year, the ag community was promised bilateral trade deals, which he says have not come to fruition at this point.

“Rapid movement is the concern, particularly when we look at the state’s wheat industry.  They’re already starting to see market share erode in particular in Japan, and again, rapid movement is really needed here in terms of getting these trade issues resolved.”

Sandison added once a market is lost, it can take a generation, or even longer to regain those shares.

Washington ag products possibly subject to higher tariffs by China

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