{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221164402/http://bishop.house.gov/press-release/congressman-bishop-fights-pecan-industry", "CONGRESSMAN BISHOP FIGHTS FOR PECAN INDUSTRY", "2013-09-18", "2013", "2013-09", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Sanford Bishop", "B000490", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, stood in support of Georgia\u2019s pecan industry in regards to unfair tariff discrepancies. In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, Congressman Bishop called for fair pricing of pecan imports from the United States to India.\n\u201cThere is a disturbing discrepancy between import tariff rates which have been applied by India to various tree nuts. U.S. growers have visited India, met with potential buyers and participated in trade shows, yet they continue to find the current tariff rate a major barrier to U.S. pecans entering India,\u201d wrote Congressman Bishop. \u201cAs part of the upcoming discussions with India\u2019s Prime Minister, I would be grateful for your efforts to urge India to lower their import tariff rates on U.S. pecans. With lower rates, India could be as important of a market for U.S. pecans as China.\u201d\n\u201cThe opportunity to export pecans to India with a reduced tariff could contribute millions of dollars to the rural economy of Georgia and the other 14 pecan producing states,\u201d said Randy Hudson, President of the Georgia Pecan Growers Association.\nCommercially produced in 15 states, pecans are the only native tree nut grown in the United States. Approximately 80% of the world\u2019s pecan production is located in the United States. U.S. growers produced 125,000 tons of pecans in 2011, with almost half the U.S. market exported to other countries. Congressman Bishop\u2019s district, the Second Congressional District of Georgia, is the largest pecan producing Congressional District in the nation.\nTo view the letter to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, please click here.\n\u00a0\nThe full text of the letter is as follows:\n\u00a0\nThe Honorable Michael Froman\nUnited State Trade Representative\n600 17th Street, NW\nWashington, D.C.\u00a0\u00a0 20508\nDear Ambassador Froman:\nAs the Member of Congress representing the largest pecan-producing Congressional District in the United States, I would like to take this opportunity to bring to your attention a major problem facing American pecan growers with respect to trade with India.\u00a0\nThere is a disturbing discrepancy between import tariff rates which have been applied by India to various tree nuts. Other U.S. tree nuts, such as almonds and pistachios, enter India at a tariff rate of 10 percent or less, while U.S. pecans face a tariff rate of 36.26 percent. U.S. growers have visited India, met with potential buyers and participated in trade shows, yet they continue to find the current tariff rate a major barrier to U.S. pecans entering India. The industry believes that the potential for U.S. pecan exports to India compare to our current pecan exports to China which totaled over 22,000 tons in 2011. With an annual growth in GDP of 8.5 percent and a rising middle class, India represents to the pecan industry a very large potential market.\nAs you may be aware, pecans are the only native tree nut grown in the United States and are produced commercially in 15 states. Approximately 80% of the world\u2019s pecan production is located in the United States. U.S. growers produced 125,000 tons of pecans in 2011, with almost half the U.S. market exported to other countries. Our pecan growers have successfully used the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s Market Access Program to expand exports, especially to China, which is currently the largest foreign market for U.S. pecans.\nAs part of the upcoming discussions with India\u2019s Prime Minister, I would be grateful for your efforts to urge India to lower their import tariff rates on U.S. pecans.\u00a0 With lower rates, India could be as important of a market for U.S. pecans as China.\nWith warmest personal regards, I remain,\nSincerely,\nSanford D. Bishop, Jr.\nMember of Congress\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221164402/http://bishop.house.gov/press-release/congressman-bishop-fights-pecan-industry"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4652060344815254, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}