US cherry exports to South Korea have more than doubled following the elimination of a 24 per cent import tariff.
According to a report in US newspaper the Yakima Herald, Washington state has shipped 368,000 cartons (9.1 kg) to Korea so far this season, compared to 171,000 cartons at the same time in 2011.
"We’ve already surpassed our expectations and we have another month and a half to go," Northwest Cherry Growers president BJ Thurlby told the newspaper.
Washington could ship close to 500,000 cartons of cherries to Korea by the end of the season, solidifying its position as the state’s fourth-largest cherry importer after Canada, Hong Kong/China and Taiwan, according to Thurlby.
“Korea has been the brightest spot of the season so far,” he added.
Under the US-Korea free trade agreement enacted on 15 March a 24 per cent tariff on US cherries was abolished.
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