A British Columbia MP wants Ottawa to use tariffs to protect Canadian cherry farmers by stopping a deluge of cheap imports from Washington state.

NDP MP and agriculture critic Alex Atamanenko has written to Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz urging him to take action on the issue, even if it means trade actions that go against the letter of the laws governing the North American Free Trade Agreement.

"Our so-called free trade agreements have drastically interfered with the ability of our farmers to make a living," Atamanenko said. "Trade deal or no trade deal, the U.S. wouldn't hesitate to slap a tariff on our produce if it meant protecting their producers [so] it's time for us to do the same."

But Ritz slammed the idea.

"Farmers want to make their money in the marketplace so we will continue to create opportunities for them that work within our international trade agreements," he said in a statement.

"The NDP proposal is short-sighted and ridiculous and would endanger all agricultural exports."

In the days before NAFTA, which went into force in 1994, Canada had in-season border tariffs and ship dates that protected fruit and vegetable producers at harvest time, but that's no longer the case and farmers are left vulnerable, Atamanenko said.

Cherry production in Washington is up 30 to 50 per cent this year. As a result, cherry prices for B.C. producers are expected to be 40 to 60 per cent lower than one year ago.

"It is ludicrous that in a year in which we have one of the best crops ever, Canadian producers will actually lose money because Washington state cherries are allowed to flood our market," Atamanenko said. "We need to pressure our federal government to protect our food sovereignty and create conditions for farmers to earn a living.

The MP also urges consumers to do their part by insisting on B.C. cherries at the grocery store.

With files from The Canadian Press