Corrected: A previous version of the story had incorrectly reported the retaliatory tariff amount.
After months of delay, India has imposed a 20% retaliatory tariff on U.S. apples, walnuts, almonds, and 25 other goods.
First scheduled to take effect in June last year, the 20% retaliatory tariff on U.S. apples had been repeatedly postponed. India imposed the tariffs June 16 in response to President Trump’s tariffs on imported Indian steel and aluminum put in place last year.
U.S. apple shipments to India face a base tariff of 50%, so the retaliatory tariff will increase the total tariff to 70%.
Todd Fryhover, president of the Wenatchee-based Washington Apple Commission, said in an e-mail that the announcement was anticipated, and put aside the uncertainty exporters have been facing.
“Frankly it’s good to put aside the indecision we’ve been experiencing since Aug. 2,” he said.
Fryhover said Washington exported more than 8 million bushels to India in the 2017-18 season, making the country the second-most important customer of Washington apples that season. This season, however, shipments to India are off about 66% compared with year-ago levels.
“Expectations are for a substantial slowdown of exports from Washington for the balance of the 2018-2019 season, with hopes of a resolution prior to the upcoming 2019-2020 WA season which will begin harvest in August,” Fryhover said.
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