Brazil’s U.S. Exports Drop 20% in September 2025

Brazil’s exports to the United States fell 20.3% in September to $2.58 billion, the sharpest monthly slide this year, after Washington’s tariff on many Brazilian goods rose to an effective 50% for entries from August 6.

Imports from the U.S. climbed 14.3% to $4.35 billion, leaving Brazil with a $1.77 billion bilateral deficit—the ninth straight monthly shortfall and the largest so far in 2025.

The story behind the story is price. The new package layers a 40% surcharge on top of a 10% base tariff.

Exemptions exist—aircraft, energy products, pulp and some oil flows—but roughly a third of Brazil’s sales to the U.S. by value face the full 50% rate, while many others pay 10% or fall under separate U.S. regimes for metals and strategic goods.

When prices jump that sharply at the border, orders get delayed or canceled, and volumes fall fast.

You can see the shock in the product mix. Early sector readings point to steeper drops in coffee products, beef, sugar, tobacco, parts of steel, and arms and ammunition.

Even some exempt commodities softened on weaker demand and price moves. The tariff effect showed up quickly: exports to the U.S. were down 16.5% in August year over year and 20.3% in September—an 18.5% drop across the two months.

Brazil’s U.S. Exports Drop 20% in September 2025

Diplomacy is now in play. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump in a roughly 30-minute call, urging a rollback of the additional tariffs.

Brasília argues the measures are distorting a critical trade lane for agribusiness and industry. Companies, meanwhile, are exploring ways to reroute shipments, but that takes time and margins.

Context matters: despite the U.S. slump, Brazil still posted a national trade surplus in September, with $30.5 billion in total exports and $27.5 billion in imports.

Year to date, exports to the U.S. are roughly flat at about $29.3 billion, while imports from the U.S. have risen to $34.3 billion.

Why it matters beyond Brazil: a 50% border tax doesn’t just hit exporters—it reshapes supply chains and raises costs for U.S. buyers, narrowing product choice. It is a fast, visible test of how trade policy moves from paper to prices to paychecks.

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More: Brazil news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

This article was drafted with automated assistance and reviewed before publication. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief

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