California Table Grape Commission
Nick Papagni, “the Ag Meter” talked with Ian LeMay, the President and CEO of the California Table Grape Commission. California table grapes have been averaging around 30% export.
Nick asked Mr. LaMay: Will that change now since there could be a tariff issue with California table grapes?
“You touched on 30% of exports. Our export markets are high value export markets to us, really strategic for us. Our hope is that we retain that 30%, maybe grow a little bit. There’s been years where we’ve exported up to 35, 40% of the crop, and really just depends on the market.”
“Tariffs, of course, are kind of the big question mark. I got to say I sighed relief when President Trump did come out and acknowledge that Canada and Mexico would not have tariffs imposed on them due to the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement, which his administration negotiated back in 2020. The reason I sighed relief there was because Canada is our number one export market, followed by Mexico.”
“Those, at least selfishly for California table grapes, are areas that we would not like to disrupt. Our team here has been meeting actively with all of our export partners. We continue to hear that there’s high demand for California table grapes.”
“We’re looking forward to it. Obviously, in some of the Pacific Rim countries, Southeast Asia countries that tariffs have been imposed, we’re going to try to work with our importer partners and our retail partners to make sure that that doesn’t disrupt volumes. We really won’t know that until we start either doing air shots of fruit or getting fruit on the water and really to their ports of destination.”
“We’re in that place where we’re positive right now. We’ve got a good crop on the vine, and we’re looking forward to getting it to consumers all over the world.”
That was Ian LeMay, the President-CEO of the California Table Grape Commission.
Nick Papagni, “the Ag Meter” reporting for AgNet West.