ADVOCACY REPORT
30
Almond Facts
JULY | AUGUST 2016
Advocacy Report
JULIAN HERON
Trans-Pacific
Partnership
Presents
Unique Trade
Opportunity
for Co-op
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TTP) is a hot
and current topic in DC right now. The TPP is
a trade negotiation with 11 other countries in
the Pacific Rim, including: Australia, Brunei,
Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New
Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. If
Congress were to approve this agreement, it
would provide numerous trade advantages for
Blue Diamond
, including tariff eliminations for
almonds, increased revenue and job creation.
TPP, which is strongly supported by
Blue Diamond
Growers
, is one example of the cooperative’s leadership
in international affairs.
Blue Diamond
has a long history
of venturing into unexplored international markets and
gaining access for California almonds across the globe.
In the 1960s
Blue Diamond
opened the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics (USSR) market to California
almonds. Because the USSR was a difficult country
to trade with, it was often overlooked. However,
Blue
Diamond
perceived advantages and potential in the
untapped market. The hard work put in to open that
market to California almonds provided other countries
and industries new trade opportunities with the USSR.
Because of bold and innovative thought processes
regarding trade, there were years when the USSR was
the largest export market for
Blue Diamond.
Always looking forward,
Blue Diamond
began to make
efforts to open the Indian market to California almonds
in the 1970s. At that time, India’s tariff on almonds
was an ad valorum equivalent of 180 percent.
Blue
Diamond
sought a duty reduction, met with the Indian
Prime Minister, and eventually considered a trade case
against India. As a result, India began to reduce the
duty on almonds. On three different occasions, it was
necessary for the President of the United States to
personally speak with the Indian Prime Minister to
resolve problems regarding the export of almonds
to India. Our trade relationship with India
continues to grow. Now, thanks to hard work and
good communication, the California almond
industry exports over $400 million dollars’
worth of almonds to India. Like the USSR,
this is a market that
Blue Diamond Growers
singlehandedly opened to provide a new
source of revenue for our Members.
Blue Diamond
sees the TPP as
yet another way to expand the
international market for California
almonds. The current TPP
negotiations, which have now been
