Tariffs Hit Fruit Growers Hard at Harvest

Ray Norwood, Director of Sales and Marketing for Auvil Fruit Co., told the news outlet the operation had to lower prices and find alternative destinations for the cherries. Auvil Fruit Co. exports about 80% of the operations’ cherries. Apple growers are equally nervous about the harvest season this year, with China imposing stiff tariffs on U.S. goods including fruits and nuts in retaliation to a U.S-imposed tariffs on imported goods from China.Tariffs on 10 fruit and tree nut exports are expected to cost U.S. growers around $3.4 billion annually, according to a recent study from the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources’ Agricultural Issues Center.In California, fruit and tree nut exports account for half of production and in Washington, about 30% of apples are exported.