Trump to ease customs tariffs on coffee and bananas
Washington, 14 November (Hibya) – The Trump administration announced on Thursday that import duties on coffee and bananas will be reduced under trade agreements reached with four Latin American countries.
The agreements with Argentina, Guatemala, El Salvador and Ecuador come at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump’s economic management and concerns over affordability are under increased scrutiny.
Under the initial framework, a reciprocal tariff of 10 percent will be applied to goods coming from Guatemala, Argentina and El Salvador, and a 15 percent duty will be imposed on imports from Ecuador to the United States. However, the deals will exempt products such as coffee that are not produced in “sufficient quantities” in the U.S.
This week, Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pledged to bring down coffee prices, which have risen by around 20 percent in the United States this year. Bessent also signaled that there would be relief in tariffs on bananas and other fruits.
Senior administration officials on Thursday cited coffee, cocoa and bananas as examples of imports from the four Latin American countries that are expected to be exempted from customs duties.
Guatemala and Ecuador are among the countries that export the most bananas to the United States.
Although the U.S. imports coffee from Central American countries, including Guatemala, data from the Department of Agriculture show that Brazil – which is not covered by the agreements – is the largest exporter of coffee to the United States.
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