China is now slapping tariffs on certain U.S. exports, including agricultural products. So how is that affecting Hawaiʻi's farmers?
Hawaiʻi does export goods to China, just not a lot of them compared to other trade partners.
According to the latest available figures from the U.S. China Business Council, Hawaiʻi exported about $15 million in goods to China in 2023. That's roughly 12% of the exports Hawaiʻi sent to its leading overseas market, Japan.
The top category heading from Hawaiʻi to China: fruits and tree nuts. Agriculture is the biggest category for overall exports from the United States to China.
Under the language of trade, the specific label is oilseeds and grains. That includes everything from soybeans and corn to alfalfa hay.
Those don't come from Hawaiʻi, but according to the Chinese company Shanghai Tendata, Chinese imports from Hawaiʻi include tropical fruits, coffee and macadamia nuts.
According to Producereport.com, mac nuts became so popular after their widespread introduction here that a Mandarin nickname for macadamia nuts is “Hawaiʻi nuts,” even though the plants are native to Australia.
When it comes to overall trade, Hawaiʻi exports more services to China than goods, with the top categories including education — think foreign students and tourism.
