U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell recently issued a report showing that Washington state has exported 368,000 boxes of sweet cherries to South Korea as of mid-July, up from 171,000 boxes in 2011 during a similar time period.
Cantwell attributed the increased exports to the newly implemented Korea Fair Trade Agreement, a measure she championed in the Senate Finance Committee. The agreement eliminated tariffs on various crops important to Washington’s economy, including sweet cherries, wine, potatoes, wheat and beef.
“Exports mean jobs in Washington state,” Cantwell said in a press release. “That’s why we fought so hard to get this new trade deal done – to open up new export opportunities for Washington state products and to support Washington jobs. Four months ago our trade agreement with South Korea went into effect, and already our cherry exports to that country have doubled. This agreement was a win for Washington jobs and will continue to bring good news to our export economy.”
