America’s live lobster exports to China hit a two-year low in July. This was the first month when a new import tariff on Maine’s most significant export took effect.
The United States shipped $4.2 million worth of live lobsters to China in July. This represented a 64 percent decline from May and June levels. The data shows that what had been shaping up to be a banner year for U.S. lobster sales to China collapsed after July 5, when that country levied a 25 percent import tariff on U.S. lobster.
Before the tariff, the U.S. had sold $87 million worth of lobster to China, bringing 2018 year-to-date totals to more than double the value of lobster exported to China during that same period in 2017.