January 23, 2020 — Haddock has been cut from the US list of products from China subject to 25% tariffs, but there is little fish available to capitalize on this opening.
Haddock and flatfish were removed in the ‘list three’ tariffs on Dec. 17 last year, around a month before the “phase one” agreement between the US and China that effectively paused the trade war at the current levels. The bulk of seafood from China still has 25% tariffs on it into the US. China has 35% tariffs on US seafood but has committed to buying $200 billion worth of additional US products, goods and services over the next two years, reducing the US’ bilateral trade deficit in goods, which hit $420bn in 2018.
There was a “concerted effort” from the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) and industry to get haddock excluded, Todd Clark, of importer Endeavor Seafood, told Undercurrent News at the NFI’s 2020 Global Seafood Market Conference (GSMC).