US tariff policy to harm both US, Brazil: coffee exporters' council president

RIO DE JANEIRO: The U.S. decision to impose 50 percent import tariffs on all Brazilian exports, effective Aug. 1, will be detrimental to both Brazilian export and the U.S. itself, said Marcio Ferreira, president of the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council.

AI Brief

The U.S. plans to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods, affecting coffee trade.
Brazil warns the tariff will harm 300,000 coffee farmers, mostly smallholders.
Officials urge talks, calling the tariff a political move that defies global trade norms.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated on July 9 in a letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva that a 50-percent tariff will be imposed on Brazilian goods.

Ferreira said in an interview with the China Media Group on Wednesday that Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer, while the U.S. is the largest coffee consumer. The 50 percent tariff imposed by the U.S. on Brazilian products will have an adverse impact on both American consumers and Brazilian coffee producers, he stressed.

"This tariff policy will have a far-reaching influence on Brazilian coffee producers. Brazil has over 300,000 coffee growers, 75 percent of whom are smallholders. This tariff policy will harm thousands of families," he said.

Noting that Brazil and the U.S. share a trade relationship for over a century, Ferreira said bilateral trade has been beneficial for the United States.

Calling the U.S. tariff as a political show, he stressed the necessity for both sides to engage in talks, so as to solve the problem.

"If this tariff policy remains unchanged, Brazil will indeed face a challenging situation. This U.S. tariff mentality goes against the trend of globalization. We need to seek solutions through dialogs," he said.