'Sushi will definitely be more expensive' because of tariffs, Hayward wholesaler says

HAYWARD, Calif. - If you love sushi, you may soon see higher prices. 

President Donald Trump's tariffs on goods from several countries that export tuna, salmon and other fish to the United States could cause the price of these fish to skyrocket.

"The price of sushi will definitely be more expensive," Glenn Sakata, a seafood wholesaler at Marine International Products in Hayward, told an Associated Press videographer. "Sadly, yes, there will be a big impact." 

Tariffs are taxes on goods imported from other countries.

Sakata said that his company already works on a pretty thin margin and they're not making a huge profit. 

Of course, he said, "we'll do our best to be competitive and not to impact as much as possible. We'll obviously negotiate with our suppliers to see how they can help out to absorb some of the costs as well." 

The tariffs will make his job harder, Sakata said, and "people will be more hesitant to pay more." 

Trump’s sweeping new tariffs, on top of previous levies and retaliation worldwide, are expected to increase prices for everyday items. The trade wars have already roiled financial markets and plunged businesses into uncertainty — all while economists warn of potentially weakened economic growth and heightened inequality.

Trump has argued tariffs will protect U.S. industries from unfair foreign competition and raise money for the federal government. But since so much of what we buy today relies on a global supply chain, steeper tariffs mean you’ll likely see more expensive prices from the grocery aisle to your next car repair.

On Friday, China retaliated against Trump by imposing a 34% tariff on imports of all U.S. products starting April 10.