March 20,2018-
How might China respond if President Trump follows through on a promise to impose $60 billion in annual tariffs on China late this week?
“I believe that China would stick to trade responses by raising tariffs on select U.S. products that would hurt U.S. exporters, particularly in [the] agriculture sector,” Wendy Cutler, vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute and former acting deputy U.S. trade representative, said in a statement to CNBC.
Even Mr Trump’s ag secretary has weighed in. U.S. agricultural exports could be at risk in any retaliation over tariffs implemented by the White House, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said this week.
California ag commodities could be front and center including key products from Tulare County. China/Hong Kong is the top export destination for Tulare farm products with 7.1 million cartons. A full 20% of export shipments of Kings County ag products go to China/Hong Kong every year.Likewise for Kern County where China/Hong Kong is by far the top export partner. California sends over 30% of its cotton and beef to the region, 10% of almonds, walnuts and milk products and 21% of pistachios.