Duties, trade goes haywire. Firm goods in the suspended ports and orders: « A truce is needed »

« We pretend serenity, but we are very worried. » Micaela Pallini presides over the homonymous family business that since 1875 It produces liqueurs, including limoncello, well known and loved in the United States. It says that 4 containers with its liqueurs are traveling in the Atlantic Ocean. They are directed to the port of New York where they should arrive in mid -April. Well after that April 2, the date on which President Donald Trump will duts on all imports in the United States. That load of liqueurs from Italy to American importers could cost up to 200% more than what was established at the time of departure, according to what is threatened by the US president on European wines and liqueurs, after the announcement of EU duties on whiskey and other US products.

Suspended orders

That’s why for at least 2 weeks orders from the United States stopped. Wine and agricultural products travel on the ship and to bring them beyond the ocean they take from 2 weeks to the month and a half. PAolo Castelletti, general manager of the Italian Union Vini, It speaks of « duties already applied even if they still don’t exist ». Coldiretti estimates damage from 6 million euros per day for the Italian cellars. Italian wine in the USA is worth about 2 billion out of a total exported to the world of 8 billion. Chianti and Montepulciano, Prosecco and Spumante, Barbera and Barolo and thousands of other Italian wines risk ending victims of the commercial war. Micaela Pallini is also the first woman president of Federvini Which associates producers, exporters and importers of wines, brandy, liqueurs, syrups, acetes and similar: « The lack of certainties damages everyone and this animosity hurts, there are jobs at stake, even in the United States ». He explains that the failure to presence Italian wine in the USA « is not replaceable with any other market in the world also because it is the only place where all areas of Italy are represented, we appeal to European government and institutions to fight for us ». But if some wines – the « bubbles » above all – are difficult to replicate in the USA, others could be replaced. If for the consumer he uses Italian wine it becomes too expensive, he will choose those of California, Chile, Australia, South Africa.
Cheeses, oil and pasta

Risk competitiveness

« The duties would compromise the competitiveness of companies » explains « duties would compromise the competitiveness of companies » he explains Matteo Lunelli, president and CEO of Ferrari Trento. His « bubbles » cannot be replicated, but it is still said « very worried: duties at 200% are almost an embargo, this is a maneuver with negative effects for everyone, for our businesses and our territories with hectares dedicated to wine, but also for American consumers and our partners in the USA, where we have made investments, created a system ». Concerns also shared on the other side of the ocean where the pressures on the White House by the lobbies of the sector increase at least for a postponement of the entry into force of the duties.

Oil and cheeses

But there is not only wine. The whole Italian agri -food sector feels uncertainty. Because for Italy, the United States are the second export market of food products: « Exports in the USA – says Cristiano Fini, president of Cia farmer – has grown by 158% in the last 10 years, with a value of 7.9 billion in 2024, equal to 11.6% of all our global agri -food exports ». Among the most exposed foods, there is also the Roman pecorino, a 90% produced in Sardinia: 56% is exported to the USA, where they also use it to flavor the chips. The duties would bring Sardinian production and imitations to their knees « made in the USA » would replace the cheese. Oil, pasta and baked goods, with Tuscany and Lazio and Abruzzo among the major producers are also at risk. Made in Italy

Made in Italy luxury

But also the luxury made in Italy « will not be immune » says Matteo Lunelli who is also president of Altagamma, foundation of the historical brands of luxury and Made in Italy of excellence that in the USA has a 13-15 billion market for luxury personal goods only. « The Italian brands of the top of the range are strong – he says -, capable of facing better than others a situation like this, but these instability and uncertainty all damage: I hope that diplomacy and common sense prevail and that the EU can negotiate with its historical ally ».