Japan

President Trump Threatens New Round of Tariffs Over the Weekend: Here’s the Latest

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 13:39:36 GMT

U.S. commodity markets were down to start the week in Sunday night trade as the markets digested the latest tariff announcement by President Donald Trump. On Saturday, President Trump threatened to impose 30% tariffs on Mexico and the European Union starting on August 1. The announcement came after a string of new tariff threats last week, as the Trump administration’s deadline for trade deals came due.

On Monday, President Trump continued with tariff talk, saying he would implement “severe tariffs” on Russia unless a peace deal is reached with Ukraine within 50 days.

He provided few details on how they would be implemented but described them as 100% secondary tariffs, meaning they would target Russia’s trading partners in an effort to isolate Moscow in the global economy.

The latest tariff threats weren’t good news for farmers looking to price fertilizer for fall, as StoneX Group says Russia is the United States’ top destination for both urea and UAN imports. StoneX points out Russia’s market chair has “grown substantially in recent years.”

Monday’s news follows a week where many anticipated trade deals. Instead, President Trump made a series of announcements with new tariffs. The new tariffs on Mexico and the European Union, which Trump announced Saturday, capped off a week of sweeping tariff threats.

Earlier in the week, Trump warned of a possible:

50% tariff on all copper imports
50% tariff on all goods from Brazil
35% tariff on Canadian goods
25% tariff on goods from Japan
25% tariff on imports from South Korea
200% tariff on imported pharmaceuticals

The positive side of the announcements is the Trump administration says any products covered under the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement (UMCA) won’t face the new tariffs.

President Trump also sent letters to both Japan and South Korea last week, saying their goods will be taxed at 25% starting August 1st.

The President posted the two letters he sent to those countries’ leaders on his Truth Social site. In the letter to South Korea, he stated when it comes to Korea’s tariff and non-tariff polices and trade barriers, the relationship between the two countries has been far from reciprocal. He added the 25% tariff was far less than what he says is needed to eliminate a trade deficit disparity.

The letter to Japan added if Japanese companies decide to build or manufacture a product within the U.S., there will be no tariffs. Japanese and U.S. negotiators have been working for several weeks to try and reach a deal.

Lack of Progress Impacts Commodity Prices
The lack of trade announcements last week was just one factor that caused corn prices to tank, according to AgMarket.net’s Matt Bennett. While rain in the upper Corn Belt was also bearish for the markets, little to no movement on trade is also pressuring prices.

“We had no trade announcements, and then we continued to talk about tariffs. The unfortunate reality right now is it appears the administration is playing the long game, trying to get people to come to the table with better trade deals than what we currently have seen. But it certainly isn’t doing any favors for the corn market,” Bennett said on U.S. Farm Report this weekend. “I think something like a big trade agreement certainly could tilt the tide more in the favor of the corn market moving higher. Until you get that, with weather being as good as what it is, there’s nothing there.”

It’s not all bearish, though. Arlan Suderman of StoneX Group says the 50% tariff on Brazil is actually bullish for beef.

“We already have a shortage of protein in America with the cattle herd being shrinking over recent years because of lingering drought in the western half of the country, and supplies are tight. We’re just getting to the point of trying to rebuild those supplies, which holding back heifers, tightens up the supply of meat even more. We’re feeding to record-high carcass weights to try to fill the void. We’re increasing imports to record levels. Brazil is the primary supplier of those imports: 27% of our imports come from Brazil in the first five months of the year, according to the latest data we have available, that’s 666 million pounds. That’s 4% of consumption,” Suderman says.

If you think 4% doesn’t sound like a big deal, Suderman says it is - especially considering meat demand in the U.S. has turned out to be inelastic.

“We’ve been shifting from a starch-based diet more heavily toward protein-based. And as the prices go up, we’re actually increasing demand for beef and the other proteins - but we don’t have the supply of it. I think that could be a real problem going forward for the meat industry and the meat supply. We will have to find somewhere else to get that meat,” Suderman says.

Are Trade Deals Close?

While President Trump initially stated he had reached trade agreements with 200 countries, only a few have been officially announced. These include deals with China, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam, however. Negotiations with other countries are ongoing, with the administration extending the deadline for tariff-related negotiations to August 1.

The European Union says it was working on sealing a trade deal with the U.S. by the end of this month, and the European Commission president says the EU was working closely with the Trump administration to reach a deal.

Lawmakers pursue end to frozen blueberry tariffs in Japan

Mon, 15 May 2023 13:45:30 GMT

A bipartisan group of lawmakers recently called on the U.S. trade representative and the USDA to eliminate what it says are harmful frozen blueberry tariffs and ensure equal market access for U.S. blueberry growers in Japan.

The U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement that went into effect in 2020 eliminated Japan’s tariffs on fresh and dried blueberries but omitted frozen blueberries from this relief. U.S. frozen blueberry exports to Japan continue to face a 6% or 9.6% tariff in Japan, depending on sugar content.

The effort was led by Reps. Rick Larsen (D-Washington) and David Valadao (R-California) and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), and over 30 lawmakers representing blueberry producers across the country who sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The letter urged the officials to “pursue a technical amendment to the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement to ensure U.S. frozen blueberries receive the same duty-free market access in Japan as fresh or dried blueberries, as well as other frozen berries.”

Related news: Berry per capita availability growth shines

The lawmakers said that “doing so will allow U.S. farmers to compete on level terms with other blueberry exporting countries and would help save and revitalize market opportunities for U.S. berry farmers.”

“We applaud Reps. Larsen and Valadao, and Sen. King for their leadership on this important issue that directly and indirectly affects all U.S. blueberry producers,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the North American Blueberry Council, said in the release.

Japan is a critically important market for U.S. frozen blueberry producers, but the industry is at a significant disadvantage relative to competitors in Canada and the European Union who have tariff-free trade with Japan for all forms of blueberries, Cronquist continued.

“There is no apparent reason why the tariff on frozen blueberries was left intact after the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement eliminated tariffs on fresh and dried blueberries, yet this oversight has caused the U.S. to lose significant market share,” Cronquist said in the release. “We appreciate the administration’s efforts to increase exports to Asia, including the upcoming trade mission to Japan, and their work to address non-tariff barriers through the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity. Until this tariff is eliminated, however, frozen blueberry producers will continue to be at a competitive disadvantage.”

Japan launches greenhouse-gas-reduction labeling system for farm products

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 15:45:31 GMT

Japan has launched a greenhouse-gas-reduction labeling system for 23 domestically produced farm products.

The use of the label is voluntary, and producers may use the label to self-declare products that are produced with sustainable practices associated with lower greenhouse gas emissions than those produced by conventional cultivation, according to a summary from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.

The system, which launched March 1 following a two-year pilot project, was developed in line with Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ green food system strategy known as MIDORI. According to the report, the system aims to create a consumer understanding of environmentally friendly agricultural production efforts that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The MAFF “promotes decarbonization throughout the food supply chain with an aim to build a sustainable food system,” the report said. The system from MAFF promotes the “visualization” of environmental impact reduction efforts with food labels to foster public understanding of such efforts, allow consumers to make sustainable purchasing decisions and to facilitate investment in environmentally friendly agricultural supply chains, according to the summary.

The labeling system allows producers to calculate their greenhouse gas emissions and the reduction contribution rate in accordance with the MAFF Assessment and Labeling Guidelines for Environmental Impact Reduction on Agricultural Products.

“The emissions rate is indicated by the number of stars: One star indicates a reduction by 5%, two stars indicate a reduction by 10% and three stars indicate a reduction by 20% or more,” the release said.

While use of the label does not require third-party verification, MAFF can request raw data from producers if there is doubt about the reported information, according to the release. In addition, the report said the guidelines stipulate that the labeling system is subject to Japanese regulations against unjustifiable premiums and misleading representations.

“As businesses increasingly seek to adopt [greenhouse gas] emission reduction efforts, MAFF expects that food processors and distributors may use the [greenhouse gas] emissions label as a guide for purchasing products that add value to their company’s own GHG reduction efforts,” the report said. “MAFF also anticipates that participation in the labeling system will give producers opportunities to expand sales channels with businesses committed to [greenhouse gas] emission reduction efforts, as well as provide a competitive advantage when seeking investments and loans.”

According to the report, there is no defined relationship between the use of the label and carbon credits.

Crops included in the labeling system include spinach, leeks, onions, Chinese cabbage, potatoes, sweetpotatoes, cabbage, lettuce, daikon (Japanese white radish), tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, apples, Japanese pears, peaches, mandarin oranges and grapes.

The greenhouse gas label cannot be applied to livestock and dairy products, although MAFF has established a livestock working group to formulate greenhouse gas emission calculation tools for beef and dairy cattle to eventually make these products eligible for the label as well, the report said.

Kubota North America acquires Bloomfield Robotics

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 19:56:34 GMT

Japan-based Kubota Corp., through its North American subsidiary, Kubota North America Corp., has acquired Bloomfield Robotics Inc.

Pittsburgh-based Bloomfield Robotics provides a service that monitors the health and performance of specialty crops, using advanced imaging and artificial intelligence to growers across seven countries and three continents, according to a news release.

“We are excited to announce the acquisition of Bloomfield Robotics, a natural evolution of our successful partnership through Kubota’s support of open innovation,” M. Brett McMickell, chief technology officer for Kubota North America, said in the release. “Combining AI-driven technology with our legacy quality products will enable Kubota to solve real issues facing agriculture. This acquisition is a key milestone for Kubota’s strategic vision to provide comprehensive smart agriculture solutions.”

Bloomfield’s cameras are the foundation for a new software as a service that provides plant-level health and performance assessments for growers of grapes (e.g., wine, table, and juice), blueberries and other specialty crops, the release said.

The cameras are mounted on tractors and other vehicles common to farming and allow for the capture of detailed plant-level, geo-located images of the entire farm. These images are then translated into crop data such as color, maturity, and size of the fruit using Bloomfield’s AI. The result is insights into harvest timing and yield, which enables meaningful operational efficiencies, better-timed harvests, reduced labor costs and increased asset utilization, the release said.

“The Bloomfield vision from our founding was to provide continuous plant-level knowledge to every specialty crop farmer around the world,” said Mark DeSantis, president and CEO of Bloomfield Robotics. “ This acquisition brings that vision forward at a scale and speed we could not have imagined. Fortunately, we’ve been working closely together for over two years, so we have a running start at achieving this vision. We’re truly excited for what’s to come.”

The level of mechanization and automation in specialty crop farming, such as fruits, vegetables, and tree nuts, lags advancements incorporated in the cultivation of row crops, and innovative solutions to integrate data with automated systems, operational robotics and other assets are needed, the release said. The specialty crop market overall has become a focal point of Kubota’s strategic attention and efforts to shape the future of agriculture, the company said.

USDA looks at imports of Japanese muskmelons

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:23:44 GMT

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has prepared a pest risk assessment for imports of Japanese muskmelons.

The government of Japan earlier asked USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to approve importation of the fruit (Cucumis melo L.) into the continental U.S., Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.

APHIS has drafted a pest risk assessment that describes potential pests associated with muskmelons. In general, the USDA said in the report that pest risks associated with Japanese muskmelons can be managed. The agency indicated the imports from Japan are likely to be approved.

USDA-APHIS will accept comments on the draft pest risk assessment until Feb. 14 .

Groups praise U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:14:54 GMT

As details of the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement became known, agricultural associations and produce industry groups have commented on the deal, with most applauding the administration for eliminating or lowering tariffs on a variety of agricultural goods.

The following individuals and groups have issued statements on the trade agreement with Japan:

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue:

“This agreement between the United States and Japan is a better deal for the entire U.S. economy, but is a particularly big win for our farmers and ranchers,” Perdue said in his statement. “When I visited Japan in May for the G20, I made it clear that the U.S. is Japan’s best customer and we felt that relationship was not reciprocal. This agreement helps level the playing field.”

The California Walnut Commission:

A 10% duty on shelled walnuts to Japan will be eliminated. With a value of more than $90 million each year, Japan is the fourth-leading market for California walnuts. In the past five years, the market has grown 44%, even with the 10% duty, according to the commission.

“Over the past three decades, the industry has invested over $58 million with the assistance of the USDA Market Access Program to develop the Japanese market and we eagerly anticipate the new opportunities for growth the agreement provides,” Jack Mariani, vice chairman of the California Walnut Commission’s Issues Management Committee, said in a statement.

Western Growers:

Tom Nassif, president and CEO of Western Growers, said the agreement gives U.S. exporters an equal footing with members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Elimination of tariffs on almonds, blueberries, walnuts and other items, including phasing out of tariffs on cherries and oranges, will give exporters significant opportunities, Nassif said in the statement.

“We are also pleased to learn that President Trump and Prime Minister Abe have agreed to further negotiations to address the remaining non-tariff barriers to trade,” Nassif said in the statement. “Historically, Japan has used non-scientific sanitary and phytosanitary standards to prohibit many high-quality U.S. fruits, vegetables and tree nuts from entering the Japanese market.

“Therefore, to ensure the market gains secured in the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement are fully realized, we must continue to push for reform of the Japanese importation system,” he said in the statement.

California Citrus Mutual:

Casey Creamer, president of California Citrus Mutual, said the agreement, which phases out a 32% tariff on oranges, is “excellent news for the California citrus industry.”

“As Japan entered into agreements with other citrus producing trading partners, the California citrus industry was put at a competitive disadvantage,” Creamer said in the statement. “The new market access agreement immediately puts California fresh citrus in a position equal to the agreement reached previously between Japan and other nations.”

From 2016 to 2018, California’s citrus exports dropped from 70,366 metric tons to 48,060 metric tons, according to California Citrus Mutual.

California Prune Board:

California grows almost all of the prunes in the U.S., and about 40% of the world’s supply, according to the California Prune Board.

“This new trade agreement will enable California Prunes and prune juice to compete more effectively in the Japanese market, a very important export market California Prunes, and we would like to thank the Trump administration for their hard work in negotiating this trade agreement.” Donn Zea, executive director of the California Prune Board, said in a statement.

Collin Peterson, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee:

“The past two years have underscored just how important global trade is to agriculture and rural communities,” Peterson said in a statement. “I’m glad to see some progress made on tariff reductions in this agreement that will help American farmers and ranchers catch up on some of the access we lost when the administration pulled us out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.”

The agreement is only “a piece of the puzzle,” Peterson said in the statement, and that additional agreements with Japan will be necessary to make U.S. agriculture competitive in that market.

Related stories:

U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement stops tariffs on some produce

Better trade news on its way, Sonny Perdue says

Trade deal with Japan to bring lower ag tariffs

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:18:15 GMT

When approved, the US-Japan Trade Agreement will deliver lower tariffs for U.S. citrus and other agricultural commodities.

For oranges, Joel Nelsen, strategic adviser for the Exeter-based California Citrus Mutual, said tariffs — now at 32% — will be phased out over a seven-year period.

“As soon as the Japanese diet (a group of lawmakers) approves the treaty, we go from 32% down to 25%,” Nelsen said. In April 2020, the tariff will be knocked down another 5% to 20%.
Nelsen said exporters are hoping the Japanese government approves the deal before the first of the year, because that will mean all fruit landing in Japan in January, February, and March will be 5% cheaper.

“That makes us a little bit more competitive,” he said. “Not that we can capture lost market share this fast — it is going to take a few years because we’ve lost about 20% of our market share.”

Members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) — Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam — have taken some market share from the U.S. in Japan, Nelsen said. The U.S. pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership — an earlier version of CPTPP — when President Trump was elected.

A fact sheet on the US-Japan Trade Agreement is available online from the U.S. Trade Representative website:

The USTR said the deal will:

When implemented, over 90% of U.S. food and agricultural products imported into Japan will either be duty-free or receive preferential tariff access.
Immediately eliminate tariffs for almonds, walnuts, blueberries, cranberries, sweet corn, broccoli, and other commodities;
Provide staged tariff elimination for products such as cheeses, wine, frozen potatoes, oranges, fresh cherries, egg products, and tomato paste.
The agreement allows for limited use of safeguards by Japan for surges in imports of beef, oranges, and other items. Those safeguards will be phased out over time, according to the USTR.

UPDATED: Japan, U.S. announce an agreement in principle on trade deal

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:11:17 GMT

(UPDATED, Aug. 27) The U.S. and Japan have announced an agreement in principle on a new agricultural trade deal.

Japan Prime Minister Shinzō Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump jointly announced the agreement in Biarritz, France, on Aug. 25.

Trump said Japan would buy big quantities of U.S. corn, with the deal expected to be signed around the time of the United General assembly in late September.

The agreement will also benefit U.S. exports to Japan of beef, pork, wheat, dairy products, wine, ethanol, and a “variety of other products,” U.S. trade officials said.

U.S. and Japanese officials did not specifically mention fruit and vegetable commodities in their announcement.

“We still have some remaining work that has to be done at the working level, namely finalizing the wording of the trade agreement and also finalizing the content of the agreement itself,” Abe said in a news release.

Abe said pest issues in Japan have hurt production of some farm commodities, which opens the door for purchases of more U.S commodities.

“We believe that there is a need for us to implement emergency support measures for the Japanese private sector to have the early purchase of the American corn,” he said.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said the agreement includes agriculture, industrial tariffs, and digital trade.

He said Japan the third-largest agricultural market for the U.S., buying about $14 billion worth of U.S. agricultural products.

The trade deal, he said, will open up markets to over $7 billion of those products.

“It will lead to substantial reductions in tariffs and non-tariff barriers across the board,” Lighthizer said.

Western Growers president and CEO Tom Nassif said in a statement that the group was pleased by potential reductions in trade barriers for fruits, vegetables and tree nuts.

“Tariff equity for U.S. fresh produce is one of our most important international trade priorities, with Japanese tariffs on American agricultural products reaching as high as 35% for some commodities,” Nassif said in the statement. “Of equal importance is the need for sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) reforms, as Japan’s current SPS regulatory regime prohibits many high-quality U.S. fruits, vegetables and tree nuts from entering the Japanese market.”

Nassif said anticipated reductions in tariffs and SPS barriers will result in true market gains and much needed economic relief for growers who have been targets in trade wars.

“We applaud the efforts of President Trump, Prime Minister Abe and trade representatives from both countries to secure a mutually beneficial deal that will result in significant export opportunities for Western Growers members and the broader agricultural industry.”

A National Potato Council statement said preserving items negotiated under the Trans-Pacific Partnership has been a key objective.

“We believe (this) announcement indicates that the White House, the Office of the Trade Representative and the Department of Agriculture share that goal and are committed to making it a reality,” Jared Balcom, chairman of the NPC trade affairs committee and a farmer from Pasco, Wash., said in the statement.

Japan is the U.S. potato industry’s largest export market, with exports totaling $350 million in the past year. With better market access and more reasonable tariffs, potato exports could grow by another $150 million, according to the statement.

The California Walnut Commission also welcomed the news.

“Today’s announcement by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer that a preliminary agreement includes agriculture is testament to the steadfast commitment of the administration in bringing fair, equitable and reciprocal trade to our producers,” the commission said in a statement.

Japan is the fourth-leading export market for the California walnut industry, accounting for $90 million in annual sales.

California Prune Board executive director, whose organization represents 800 growers and 40% of the world’s prune crop, said in a news release the agreement will enable California prunes and prune juice to compete more effectively in Japan, an important export market.

USDA relaxes rules for Japanese unshu oranges and sand pears

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 02:13:50 GMT

Rules governing the U.S. imports of Japanese unshu oranges and sand pears will be changed to allow for easier access to the U.S. market.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a Federal Register notice that the agency intends to remove the requirement that unshu oranges from the islands of Shikoku or Honshu have to be fumigated with methyl bromide as a condition of entry to a port of entry in Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, or Texas.

Currently, the USDA said unshu oranges imported into the U.S. from the islands of Shikoku or Honshu must be fumigated with methyl bromide as a pest treatment for mites and mealybugs, provided that the oranges are destined to a port of entry in Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, or Texas.

The national plant protection organization of Japan asked USDA to remove the methyl bromide fumigation requirement for unshu oranges imported into the U.S. from the islands of Honshu or Shikoku on the grounds that the pests the treatment targets are surface feeders and can easily be detected during phytosanitary inspection of the oranges.

Unshu oranges from the island of Kyushu are currently prohibited entry into Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, or Texas, but the USDA said it intends to change the regulation so unshu oranges from the island of Kyushu can be imported to any port of entry in the U.S.

The Japan plant health officials provided trapping data showing the pest of concern has not been detected on the island of Kyushu since 2016, and Japan requested that USDA allow unshu oranges from that island into all ports of entry in the U.S.

Sand pears

For Japanese sand pears, the USDA said it has prepared a pest risk analysis on the importation of sand pears from Japan.

Currently, sand pears may only be imported into the U.S. from certain authorized production areas within Japan.

“Based on the findings of the (pest risk) analysis, we are proposing to authorize the importation of sand pears from all of Japan, rather than specific areas of production, and to revise the conditions under which sand pears from Japan may be imported into the U.S.,” the USDA said in a notice.

“We have concluded that sand pears can safely be imported from all of Japan (excluding Amami, Bonin, Ryukyu, Tokara, and Volcano Islands), using the following phytosanitary measures for imports to any U.S. state or territory other than Hawaii.

The USDA said it will consider all comments received on proposed changes to import requirements for Japanese unshu oranges and sand pears through Nov. 22.

U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement stops tariffs on some produce

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:14:50 GMT

Japan has agreed to eliminate tariffs on a number of U.S. exports, including almonds, blueberries and sweet corn.

Through the first stage of an initial tariff agreement, the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement will eliminate or reduce tariffs on an additional $7.2 billion of U.S. food and agricultural products, according to a Sept. 25 news release from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

More than 90% of the food and agricultural products sent to Japan will be duty free or receive preferential tariff access when the agreement is implemented, according to the release.

Tariffs on these products will be eliminated:

Almonds
Blueberries
Cranberries
Walnuts
Sweet corn
Broccoli
Prunes

Tariffs on sweet cherries and oranges will be lowered in phases.

The U.S. has agreed to eliminate or reduce 42 tariff lines for products coming from Japan, including persimmons and cut flowers, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Western Growers praises Japanese approval of trade deal

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:21:03 GMT

Irvine, Calif.-based Western Growers praised the Japanese Diet’s approval of the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement and urged the U.S. to address additional barriers to trade with Japan.

“With Japan’s parliamentary approval of the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, the final hurdle for the deal to take effect on January 1st of 2020 has been cleared,” Tom Nassif, CEO of Western Growers, said in a Dec. 5 statement. “Western Growers appreciates the prompt action by the Japanese Diet, which will eliminate tariffs on a number of American fruit, vegetable and tree nut products and pave the way for significant export opportunities for our members.”

Nassif said Western Growers supports President Trump’s leadership in trying to win fair trade deals for U.S. farmers.

“We urge President Trump to follow through on his pledge to engage Prime Minister Abe in further trade talks to address additional barriers to trade,” Nassif said in the statement. “Chief among our remaining concerns are the non-scientific sanitary and phytosanitary measures that will continue to prohibit many American fresh produce items from entering Japan. No trade deal will be complete without these reforms to the Japanese importation system.”

From November 2018 through October this year, U.S. exports of fresh fruits to Japan totaled $326.5 million, 4% above a year ago and 2% lower than two years ago. U.S. exports of fresh vegetables from November 2018 through October 2019 totaled $83.2 million, down 27% from a year earlier and 20% lower than two years ago.

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Exports of fresh potatoes rise in second half of 2019

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:26:58 GMT

Exports of fresh potatoes , which includes shipments destined for processing markets, saw a 9% increase in tonnage and almost 11% increase in value during the second half of 2019.

A Potatoes USA report on exports shows growth in all segments, from dehydrated products to frozen, and fresh, which includes shipments that will turned into chips and other products.

The Potatoes USA report does not break out processing potatoes from table stock when shipped fresh.

From July 2019 through the end of the year, fresh potatoes shipped to Mexico rose 2%, to a value of $27.23 million, and Canadian fresh shipments were valued at $53.05 million, a 19% increase, according to Global Trade Atlas data supplied to Potatoes USA.

The overall value of exports of fresh potatoes during the six-month period rose 10.6%, to $132.1 million, according to the Potatoes USA report.

Other segments of the U.S. potato export trade from July-December 2019 were:

Frozen: 551,338 metric tons, up 11%, with a value of $643 million; and
Dehydrated: 94,608 metric tons, up 10%, with a value of $209 million.

Frozen potato exports to Mexico were up 19% in the six-month period, according to the report, mostly due to a 20% tariff from 2018 that was removed in June. Mexico is the second-largest frozen potato product market for the U.S. behind Japan, which saw a 3% increase in tonnage.

Japanese processing agreement

Fresh shipments destined for chip processors in Japan will likely increase, with a new agreement that started Feb. 14 allowing year-round access. Before, fresh potatoes for chip processors were limited to five months, from February through June, according to Potatoes USA.

Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently came to an agreement allowing the year-round access, according to Potatoes USA.

The number of processing plants in Japan are limited and there are tight shipment, processing and waste treatment requirements, according to the release.

In 2019, the U.S. shipped 32,240 metric tons of fresh chipping potatoes to Japan, valued at $15.01 million.

Related stories:

Promising trade gains, U.S. signs phase one trade agreement with China

Chips and fries boost exports of fresh U.S. potatoes

Potato exporters optimistic about 2020 shipments

Japan imports of U.S. oranges expected to grow modestly

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:22:56 GMT

The new U.S.-Japan trade agreement will deliver a tariff reduction and higher safeguard levels for U.S. orange shipments, and that should translate to a moderate increase in U.S. orange exports to Japan in 2020.

In a new U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service report on Japanese citrus , the agency said overall citrus acreage in Japan continues to decline, influenced by decreasing consumption and an aging rural population. The report said 77% of Japanese fruit growers are reported to be over 60 years old, with less than 1.5% less than 40 years old.

For the 2019-20 marketing year, the USDA report said Japanese mandarin production is forecast to drop to a historic low of 740,000 metric tons. Meanwhile, the report said Japan’s rising demand for lemon-like citrus will be met through increasing imports and land use transition from mandarin to lemon production.

The USDA said the U.S. is the leading citrus supplier to Japan, particularly for fresh oranges and lemons.

The report projects:

Japan’s 2019-20 fresh tangerine/mandarin imports will increase by 1.8% to 19,000 metric tons in 2019-20, of which 13,000 metric tons will be from the U.S.;
Japan’s 2019-20 marketing year orange imports will increase by 3.2% to 94,000 metric tons; U.S. fresh orange imports for 2019-20 are projected to increase by 3.8% to 52,000 metric tons. The report said U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement implementation prior or during the U.S. orange export season may further increase the U.S. orange import volume;
Fresh grapefruit imports to Japan fell by 9% to 64,329 metric tons in the 2018/19 marketing year, and the U.S. accounted for 18,516 metric tons of that total. For 2019-20, the USDA expects another year of decline in Japan’s grapefruit imports. The report said Japan’s total imports of grapefruit in 2019-20 are expected to drop by 6.8% to about 60,000 metric tons; and
In 2018-19, Japan’s imports of fresh lemons increased 11.6% to 56,839 metric tons. The U.S. is the top supplier, and shipments to Japan in the 2018-19 season increased 12.2% to 33,457 metric tons. Because of continued anticipated growth in demand, the USDA report forecast a 5% increase in Japanese lemon imports to 60,000 metric tons in 2019-20; the U.S. import share is expected to increase to 35,000 metric tons.

Japan grants market access to California plums

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 18:41:07 GMT

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that Japan has granted market access for California plums. Eliminating the phytosanitary barriers keeping California plums out of the Japanese market required multiple rounds of technical negotiations that were somewhat hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The California Fresh Fruit Association would like to extend its appreciation to the USDA Animal
Plant Health Inspection Service and Agricultural Research Service’s negotiators and experts, as well as the Fresno County and Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner offices for their invaluable contributions to this process.

There will be strict packing and fumigation protocols in place but given the success of the existing California nectarine program for Japan, California stone fruit exporters have already demonstrated a commitment to meeting Japan’s requirements.

“Trade barriers threaten the health and viability of the industry. This represents a significant opportunity for California plums, as Japanese consumers value premium fruit and recognize California fruit’s superior quality.

As the global economy rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic, expanding market access will continue to be critical to the industry’s success,” said Ian LeMay, CFFA President.

U.S. orange and tangerine exports slow in 2018

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 05:49:00 GMT

U.S. orange and tangerine exports suffered a 2% decline in value and a 14% drop in volume in 2018.

U.S. Department of Agriculture trade statistics show the top market for U.S. oranges and tangerines was South Korea in 2018.

Even so, U.S. orange and tangerine exports to South Korea were off 11% in value and 29% lower in volume compared with 2017.

Buying $202 million and 131,500 metric tons, South Korea accounted for 33% of the value and 25% of the volume of total U.S. orange and tangerine exports in 2018.

Other top global destinations for U.S. orange and tangerine exports in 2018, by value and compared with 2017, were:

Canada: $156 million, up 1%;
Japan: $87.4 million, no change;
Hong Kong: $82.7 million, up 11%;
China: $51.9 million, up 7%;
Australia: $17.9 million, down 28%;
Mexico: $13.9 million, up 33%.

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New Zealand Jazz apples fly to Tokyo for holiday

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 18:57:12 GMT

About 550 cartons of Jazz apples from the orchards of New Zealand’s Hawkes Bay flew to Tokyo for Japan’s annual springtime holiday, Golden Week.

Falling between late April and early May, Golden Week is a time for celebration, which includes the new season’s fruit, according to a news release from Auckland, New Zealand, apple exporter T&G Global .

Sarah McCormack, T&G director of category-apples, said in the release that she expects more than 150,000 cartons of Jazz apples to be exported this season — mostly by ship and some, like this order, by air.

The Japan-bound apples were kept at 0 degrees in the cargo hold of the Air New Zealand Boeing-787-9 Dreamliner, which left Auckland the morning of April 17, carrying about 10 tons of Jazz apples to Narita airport in Tokyo.

On June 28 each year, Japan celebrates a Jazz Apple Anniversary Day.

“Japanese apple lovers have really embraced Jazz apples since they were introduced to consumers in 2011, and we’re looking forward to sharing this special fruit with Jazz fans and introducing it to new consumers this year,” McCormack said in the release. “With the first of the air freighted fruit safely on board, our apples can be on shelf and enjoyed by our Japanese customers within 24 hours.”

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