US apple exports to Southeast Asia plummet

USApple said apple exports to Southeast Asia have declined by 40% in the last three years. The drastic drop in exports is especially being felt as Chinese New Year (February 1) gets underway. The holiday helped secure a large market for the US apple industry prior to a series of retaliatory tariffs imposed by China.
USApple is calling on the Biden Administration to eliminate Sec. 232 and 301 tariffs on Chinese products so that China in turn will drop its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products including apples.
USApple President and CEO Jim Bair said: 

“There is a long, rich heritage in Southeast Asian countries of gifting apples as a gesture of friendship and good health during Chinese New Year. This tradition helped carve a prominent space for US apple exports for those celebrations. Sadly, this year most of those apples won’t be from the US.”