Tariffs sour Valentine’s for North Carolina’s small business entrepreneurs

By: Clayton Henkel

Outlets: North Carolina Newsline

Published: February 13, 2026

Words: 704

Last Updated: 1 week, 3 days ago

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If you are celebrating Valentine’s Day this weekend, chances are you’ve noticed it’s going to cost more to demonstrate your love.

Many of the gifts that define Valentine’s — especially flowers and chocolates — rely heavily on imports. About 80% of cut flowers sold in the U.S. are imported. And the United States imports nearly all the cacao used to make high-quality chocolate.

Those imports were hit with across-the-board tariffs by the Trump administration last …

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