US consumers grappling with soaring prices for beef and eggs will face even higher costs for meat, vegetables and fruit if President Donald Trump imposes tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, Reuters reported, citing economists and food industry executives. Consumers have struggled with high inflation since the COVID-19 pandemic and voted for Trump in part due to discontent with higher prices. Trump pledged to bring down costs for ordinary Americans.
The White House said on Friday that the new tariffs on Canada and Mexico will take effect on Feb. 1, denying a Reuters report that they would be delayed until March 1.
Tariff-related price increases would hit consumers’ wallets at a time when beef prices are near record highs and costs for eggs have climbed after bird flu eliminated millions of egg-laying hens. Bird flu cases in dairy cows have also reduced milk output in top-producer California.
Shortly after taking office last week, Trump set the Feb. 1 deadline for imposing 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada unless the countries move to halt flows of illegal immigrants and the deadly opioid fentanyl into the US. He also said he would impose a 10% tariff on Chinese goods over that country’s role in the fentanyl trade. Read more