India’s tariffs could depress Washington apple prices

The apple industry in Washington has affirmed that retaliatory tariffs by India on US apples will have a severe impact on exports. The state expects exports to India to slow down after the additional tariff of 20%, which brings the total duty to 70%. India had imported 7.8 million boxes (40 pounds each) of the 2017 crop of Washington apples by June 2018. In 2018, India bought US$ 156 million worth of US apples. Mark Powers, President, Northwest Horticultural Council admits that the move could depress prices for growers if the industry is unable to find alternative export markets. On the other hand, apple exporters in Europe and the Southern Hemisphere will get an upper hand.