Washington apples are scrumptious and sought-after all around the world. But one main market was all however closed to growers in our state for the previous 4 years.

India put a 20% tariff on apples from the U.S. after our nation put tariffs on metal and aluminum from India.

In 2018, India was the second largest marketplace for Washington apples. Washington supplied 53% of the apples in India. After tariffs went into impact, our state’s share was only one%.

But these tariffs have been dropped on Sept. 6. “On that day, shipments to India started in great value and volume. So far, we’ve shipped 1.3 million cartons of apples to India,” mentioned Todd Fryhover, President of the Washington Apple Commission.

The effort to get these tariffs dropped was headed by Washington Senator Maria Cantwell. This week, she was joined at Terminal 46 in Seattle by port and commerce officers to have fun the return of Washington Apples to India.

“Apple exports in 2022 were valued at more than $250 million, and now, with India’s apple tariffs lifted, that number will only grow,” mentioned Kristin Ang, NWSA Co-Chair and Port of Tacoma Commission President.

India hopes to get extra of that nation’s product on our shores as properly.

“Apples have been a success story in recent months, and we look forward to looking at more diversification. Today, this morning, I was at the Starbucks unit in Seattle, and we also looked at ways of how do we get good Indian coffee into Seattle, the home of Starbucks,” mentioned Prakash Gupta, Consul General, Consulate General of India.

Senator Cantwell mentioned she desires our state’s apples to maintain their place in shops all over the world. “We want them to be a permanent part of the Indian economy, and we want to grow the relationship,” mentioned Senator Maria Cantwell.

A relationship that’s each fruitful and worthwhile. According to the Washington State Apple Commission, Washington apple growers have shipped greater than 1,100,000 40-pound bins of apples to India this season.