Items Tagged with 'oranges'

Overall, American agricultural exports have recovered from the trade war with China that began five years ago, but many specialty crops still suffer from Chinese retaliatory tariffs.

Huanglongbing – also known as Citrus Greening Disease – has caused Florida’s orange production to decline by nearly 90% since 2005, allowing California to overtake the country’s top-producing citrus state.

Citrus growers are pleased but environmental groups are concerned about the Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of aldicarb for use on oranges and grapefruit in Florida to combat citrus greening, which has devastated the industry in the state since it was first identified in 2005.

Retail orange juice sales rose to the highest levels seen since 2015 in April, when the COVID-19 pandemic prompted stay-at-home orders and business closures.

The “phase one” trade deal with China is paying off substantially for commodities like soybeans, corn, wheat and sorghum, but it’s hit or miss for specialty crop farmers, many of whom are still trying to find replacement markets.

China has begun making policy changes and will soon be accepting applications for tariff exemptions as part of its agreements under the phase one trade pact with the U.S., the Trump administration announced Tuesday.

China’s Finance Ministry announced Thursday that on Feb. 14 it will cut tariff rates on $75 billion worth of U.S. products, including some ag commodities such as soybeans, chicken, pork, oranges and asparagus, but the impact is expected to be minimal.

Beef and pork stole much of the spotlight when President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe signed off on a trade pact last week, but many of the U.S. winners will be American specialty crop farmers.

China announced Friday it will increase tariffs on $75 billion worth of U.S. agricultural and other goods by 5-10% in retaliation for U.S. plans to hit about $300 billion worth of Chinese exports with new import taxes.