Brazilian Producers Start Already to Feel the Heat of U.S. Tariffs

Brazilian exporters are already feeling the effects of new US tariffs. Starting August 1, the United States will impose a 50% tax on all Brazilian imports.

This hardline measure, announced by former President Donald Trump, affects every major sector—from seafood and citrus to coffee and steel—and could reshape the $100 billion trade relationship between the two countries.

Seafood exports are suffering first. Brazil ships around 70% of its fish exports to the US, including 90% of its tilapia. Since the tariff announcement, US buyers have canceled at least 58 containers carrying 1,160 tons of frozen fish.

Small-scale fishers, often from poor coastal towns, are the most impacted. Many rely heavily on these exports to survive. Orange juice producers now face similar risks.

The US buys over 40% of Brazilian orange juice exports, and Brazil supplies about 60% of America’s imported juice. With the new tariff, juice prices could more than double in the US. Producers say redirecting this volume elsewhere is nearly impossible.

The coffee sector also stands exposed. Brazil remains the world’s top coffee exporter, and the US its largest buyer. From July 2024 to May 2025, Brazil exported nearly 43 million coffee bags worth $13.7 billion.

The US alone bought around three million bags. That volume has already dropped by 17%, and industry leaders expect much deeper cuts. Meat exporters predict up to a 5% drop in yearly revenue.

US Tariffs Threaten Brazil’s Key Export Sectors

The US is Brazil’s second-largest beef buyer, and new tariffs strain a market already facing high domestic prices. Factory components and materials, including steel and aircraft parts, may also see contracts canceled, according to industry associations.

Brazil’s National Industry Confederation warns that up to 40% of exports affected by the tariff cannot quickly find other buyers. These include high-volume, perishable, or specialized goods made for specific US standards.

Supply chains connected to both economies now face delays, cost hikes, and investment freezes. The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, created a special trade committee in response.

It plans to negotiate or, if needed, retaliate. The government says it will apply Brazil’s new Economic Reciprocity Law, passed in April 2025, which allows targeted countermeasures.

Experts estimate Brazil’s GDP could shrink by up to 0.8 percentage points this year, with losses from tariffs ranging between $12 billion and $17 billion. Food exports could drop by 75%, and over a million jobs linked to export chains now face risk.

Before the tariff, Brazil and the US traded roughly evenly. Official figures show the US had a small surplus in 2024. Business leaders and officials now push for dialogue to avoid long-term damage on both sides.

LatAm Markets: Live Signals → — real-time movers, turnover leaders and FX across Latin America.