Apple growers in Washington are expressing concern over stalled trade negotiations between the United States and Canada, warning that extended delays could affect farm operations, supply chains, and export competitiveness.
Farm technology expert Arthur Erickson said producers are already managing higher operational costs. "Many of the farmers we work with have been feeling rising input costs, meaning their margins, profits, revenue, and everything in general are getting squeezed," Erickson said. "There's a lot of stuff we can't control in the industry. We can't control a trade war."
While apples remain Washington's largest agricultural commodity, the state's dairy sector has also been affected by existing tariffs on U.S. dairy exports. The Washington State Dairy Federation (WSDF) said these tariffs have reduced competitiveness for state producers in the Canadian market. "Canada is a major trade partner for all of agriculture, and we are optimistic that productive trade discussions will resume," WSDF Executive Director Dan Wood said.
Manson Growers, a Washington-based apple packer that exports to about 20 countries annually, including Canada, said international trade developments are closely watched. "I think as we're looking at global trade negotiations, we've seen up to an 80% decrease in trade for apples, pears, and cherries to countries like China and India, and so obviously, healthy trade negotiations with Canada and Mexico are important to us," said Manson Growers President Jared England. "We've seen trade negotiations with many of our customers and clients across the globe. Many of those have resulted in more positive tariffs for our industry. However, we have recognized that sometimes these negotiations take some time."
For now, Manson Growers does not expect the stalled U.S.–Canada discussions to immediately affect retail apple prices. The Washington State Food Industry Association said consumers are unlikely to see additional increases in food costs in the short term.
Source: KomoNews
