Western Growers has announced its support for the Central American and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), designed to reduce trade barriers and increase market access for fresh produce products from the United States.
This trade agreement would cut or eliminate tariffs on products including fruits, vegetables, and nuts. The treaty would include the United States and six Latin American nations: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. Currently, 99% of Central American and Dominican Republic agricultural exports enter the United States duty-free. CAFTA would help level the playing field for US fresh commodities in these markets.
An agriculture trade association, Western Growers consists of members that grow, pack, and ship 90% of the fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts grown in California and 75% of those commodities in Arizona. This totals about half of the nation’s fresh produce.
