Northwest Horticultural Council
Country Alerts
China Removes 10 Percent Retaliatory Tariff on Fresh Fruit
As part of the agreement between the U.S. and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) announced on October 29, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has confirmed the removal of a 10 percent retaliatory tariff on fresh fruits and other products that the PRC imposed in March of this year. This brings the total PRC tariff rate on U.S. fresh apples, pears, and sweet cherries to 35 percent with the Section 301 exclusion and 65 percent without the exclusion, effective November 10, 2025.
In addition, FAS confirmed China has extended the Section 301 exclusion through December 2026.
The PRC’s tariffs break down as such:
- 10 percent – Most Favored Nation (MFN) Rate (1/1/25)
- 15 percent – Section 232 Retaliation (4/2/18)
- 30 percent – Section 301 Retaliation (2/14/20)
- 10 percent – MOFCOM Statement (5/12/25)
- -30 percent for 301 Market-Based Exclusion (4/10/25)
Total = 35 percent (or 65 percent without the 301 exemption)
More information can be found in this USDA GAIN report.
Background: The PRC levied an additional 10 percent tariff on U.S. apples, cherries, and pears (along with 737 other products) in response to the United States’ decision to impose a 10 percent tariff on all Chinese imports to other countries, effective March 4, 2025.
On April 4, the PRC announced additional retaliatory tariffs on all U.S. goods, including agricultural products, of 34 percent. On April 9, the PRC announced an additional 50 percent on the current applicable tariff base, bringing the total to 84 percent. On April 11, the PRC increased the retaliatory tariff to 125 percent, which brought the total applied tariff rate on U.S. tree fruit to 160 percent. On May 12, these were reduced to 10 percent following an agreement between the U.S. and China. That deal was extended in August.
Posted: 11/20/2025
