New 50% Brazil Tariff Causes Concern
VITORIA, Brazil – The Brazilian Center of Natural Stone Exporters (Centrorochas) is raising serious concern over President Donald Trump’s plan to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian products being imported into the United States.
The July 9 tariff announcement came just two days before Centrorochas’ inaugural Stone Core event in Vitória, Brazil. The meeting focused on Brazilian natural stone and its presence in international trade.
A report at stonenews.eu noted that the new U.S. tariff poses a direct threat to the balance of trade relationships between the two nations and would significantly impact Brazil’s natural stone sector, which relies heavily on the U.S. market.
A letter from President Trump to Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on July 9 announced the new tariff, beginning Aug. 1, based on several factors. The U.S. president cited the prosecution of former Brazilian President Jair Bolansaro for the tariff action, along with what he called “hundreds of SECRET and UNLAWFUL Censorship Orders” on U.S.-based social-media platforms by Brazil’s Supreme Court.
In 2024, the United States accounted for 56.3% of Brazil’s total natural stone exports, with sales amounting to $711.1 million. Especially reliant on U.S. sales is the state of Espirito Santo, whose stones make up more than 82% of Brazil’s total stone shipments, responsible for $672.4 million in sales to the U.S.
The newly imposed tariff is expected to place Brazilian exporters at a clear disadvantage compared to competitors, although those countries will likely be dealing with higher U.S. tariffs as well.
The development also threatens the viability of more than 200 Brazilian companies involved in the export of natural stone. Centrorochas officials estimate it also places in jeopardy a production chain that involves almost half-million direct and indirect jobs across Brazil.
Centrorochas is monitoring the situation and working with Brazilian authorities and its institutional partners to identify strategies that can mitigate the impact of the tariff. The organization is anxious to preserve Brazil’s position in the U.S. market, as well as safeguard the future of an industry critical to its nation’s economy.
The United States currently runs a trade surplus with Brazil concerning all goods, with the U.S. sending $7.4 billion more in shipments in 2024 than it receives from the South American country. That surplus increased by $1.8 billion over 2023, according to data from the United States Trade Representative (USTR), which is part of the executive office of the U.S. president.