Members of Congress from Florida and Indiana have sent a letter to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, requesting trade protections for the domestic stevia market. The lawmakers, led by U.S. Senator Rick Scott, are concerned about heavy competition from Chinese imports.
Stevia Industry in the US
Stevia is currently cultivated in Florida, processed in Indiana, and distributed nationwide. Florida farmers harvest roughly 225 metric tons of the natural sweetener each year. The crop offers an alternative revenue stream for Florida growers whose groves have been damaged by citrus greening.
The US imports approximately 3,500 metric tons of stevia annually, with the majority coming from China. The lawmakers pointed out that Chinese stevia prices dropped from $330 per kilogram in 2020 to $90 per kilogram today—a decline they attribute to excess foreign capacity rather than typical market fluctuations.
The lawmakers asked the USTR to include the domestic stevia sector in its broader evaluation of trade dynamics, supply chain security, and manufacturing capacity. They believe that with appropriate protections, American farmers have the capacity to meet the demand for stevia and grow well beyond it.
Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.
