[Trd]

That middle ground would be something like price regulation. Instead of just imposing quotas or forbidding imports of specific goods, require the imported goods to be sold at the market rate of the locally produced good.

It would allow imports to prevent shortages in the market without killing the local producers because there is no reason to stop buying from local producers if the imported goods cannot be sold at a price lower than what the local producers are willing to bear. Distributors would continue buying local, while also adding some imports as a cushion against production fluctuations.

Tax the difference between the local market price and the lower imported good price, when the imports are cheaper. Don't tax when the import is at the same cost/more expensive.