SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS Radio) -- Produce wholesalers predicted higher prices for consumers after President Trump said he would impose a 5 percent tariff on all imported goods from Mexico.
The tariff announcement came via Mr. Trump's Twitter account.
On June 10th, the United States will impose a 5% Tariff on all goods coming into our Country from Mexico, until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our Country, STOP. The Tariff will gradually increase until the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied,..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
May 30, 2019 Mr. Trump later said the tariffs would be raised to 10 percent on July 1 “if the crisis persists,” and then go up by another 5 percent each month for three months to a maximum of 25 percent.
The tariffs could hit Californians in the pocketbook. "We import a lot of agricultural products from Mexico, so I think the impact would be relatively quick if, in fact, they are imposed," said Brian Peck, Director of the Center for Transnational Law and Business at USC Gould School of Law.
At the San Francisco Produce Market, KCBS Radio reporter Matt Bigler found "Produce of Mexico" labels on all sorts of produce. Tomatoes, avocados and cucumbers are among the crops shipped in profusion from Mexico to the Bay Area.
Wholesalers said tariffs would raise consumer prices. "I think it's sort of a joke because it all just gets passed down to the consumer. That's, in the end, who pays for it," said Bob Pizza, President of What a Tomato Produce Company.
On a hopeful note, wholesalers said a number of crops imported from Mexico are also grown in California and as the summer wears on, more California-grown produce will find its way into the supply chain.
