President Donald Trump's depiction of U.S. tariffs as a painless way to help U.S. exports get fair treatment has never jibed with reality. Now California's almond farmers, who provide 80% of the world's supply, are taking another hit as a result.
India _ the world's leading importer of almonds _ has imposed a retaliatory tariff of 70% on U.S. almonds and other U.S. imports. China _ another major importer of almonds _ imposed a 50% tariff on U.S. almonds last July. That's when almond farmer Jake Wenger told Capital Public Radio that Trump had created headaches for growers. "We already have the inconsistencies of weather, fuel and fertilizer," he said, "so it is one more thing to add that growers have to be concerned of."
Growers are far from alone. This week, U.S. trade officials in Washington, D.C., are hearing testimony on Trump's plan to impose tariffs on $300 billion of Chinese imports. The Washington Post reported complaints about the tariffs came from "everyone from video game makers to tractor manufacturers (to) ... Best Buy, the sport fishing industry, toilet maker American Standard and a group representing museum directors."
The breadth of the opposition is no surprise. In 2018, China purchased $179 billion in U.S. imports. Trump may think that figure is far too low, but China is a very important market for U.S. firms.
