Richmond restaurant impacted by Trump’s 50% tariffs on India
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- President Donald Trump placed a 50% tariff on Indian goods in August after India purchased Russian oil. One local Indian restaurateur says these tariffs have impacted his business.
India K'Raja is located on 9051 West Broad Street and has been serving the Richmond community for almost 30 years.
"We have actually slowly started to see the impact because the suppliers who were getting the fresh supplies for the last month or so have started increasing the prices for us. So our costs are going up, slowly creeping up," said owner Tony Sappal.
Seppal moved to the Richmond area in 1988.
India K'Raja owner Tony Seppal. (Photo: Nia McMillan, 8News)
"I opened the restaurant in 1995," he said. "Since then, we have had tremendous love and support from our local community."
Seppal identified several components -- including spices, herbs, vegetables and other plant-based ingredients -- that he believes are essential to giving Indian cuisine its unique flavor.
"You can feel that you are getting nourished," he said.
However, with prices on imports, including spices, on the rise, this can complicate things for restaurant owners.
"There is a panic in the community, and most of the families are trying to buy Indian rice and also spices, more than they need on a regular basis, so that they can stock up at a better price right now because everybody's anticipating prices going up," Seppal explained.
India K'Raja. (Photo: Nia McMillan, 8News)
Trump's tariff increase doesn't only affect businesses but customers as well.
"I will have to redesign the menu, obviously, to make certain changes in the pricing and the portions," Seppal said. "However, it works to stay viable in the business."
He also said his business isn't alone in being faced with these decisions.
"I'm sure every restaurant, every Indian grocery store and every Indian restaurant will be impacted," he said.
Other goods like textiles, jewelry, leather goods and even this season's pumpkin spice are expected to be impacted.
"A few of our friends who are in businesses [that] are importing steel and everything from India, they are also feeling the pressure of price increase," he said.
India K'Raja. (Photo: Nia McMillan, 8News)
India K'Raja. (Photo: Nia McMillan, 8News)
Amidst the recent economic changes, Seppal emphasized to 8News that he wants to remain optimistic that things will turn around.
"Hopefully, this will all get resolved. I am pretty optimistic. We are celebrating our 30th anniversary this coming October, and we are not pessimistic about this," he said.
Seppal wants others in the community to remain hopeful as well.
"Well, my message is that, you know, hold on and hang in there," he said. "I think people will support us. I am very hopeful that we will get good support ... Everyone is feeling pressures of economic changes, so we go through it every few years, and then we come out of it, so it's going to be good."
Talks to lower the imposed tariffs are reportedly in the works between President Trump and India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
Earlier today, the New York Times reported that Trump had made a birthday call to Modi and U.S. trade officials had made a visit to New Delhi to meet with India’s Commerce Ministry to discuss a possible trade deal.
