Canadian yellow peas hit with India’s new 30 per cent tariff on all imports

FILE- A woman scoops up portions of yellow split peas on Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, file)

OTTAWA — Canadian yellow pea producers will now face tariffs in both of their major export markets after India announced a new 30 per cent tariff on all imported yellow peas beginning Nov. 1.

China imposed a 100 per cent tariff on Canadian yellow peas in March, believed to be in retaliation for Canada’s imposition of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

In a letter to federal ministers of agriculture and international trade today, Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Minister Daryl Harrison says Ottawa needs to immediately negotiate with India.

Harrison says together India and China comprised 71 per cent of pea exports, with Saskatchewan alone exporting $480 million in peas to India in 2024.

He says trade uncertainty with the United States, and tariffs from China and India are “devastating” Canada’s agriculture industry.

The tariff statement from India says it is being imposed to curb cheaper imports of yellow peas to support domestic farmers.

Justin Escoto, The Canadian Press