What are the Made in Italy products most affected by duties? From oil to wine, from cheeses to cured meats: what happens

The United States are the third commercial partner of our country After Germany (12 percent) and France (10 percent). In 2024, Italian exports to the USA reached about 73 billion eurosa value that has grown progressively since 2013, according to Lavoce.info. The announcement of the US President Donald Trump On the evening of April 2 (the 22 Italian time) to impose new 20 percent duties against the European Union According to Brussels estimates and on the basis of current commercial flows, 70% of European exports for an American collection of 81 billion euros will affect. What will happen to Made in Italy? The more will suffer will sectors more suited to exports And that have beyond ocean one of the main outlet markets. From wine to olive oil for which the USA are the first export country of Italian extra virginto the tomato preserves industry, to Italian cheeses that sell in the US double of the French ones and generate 486 million turnover. And PDO products that are not relocable like Parma ham, which can only be produced within the typical area.

Italian cheeses already penalized in 2019. Now the dice sul pecorino

Arrive New customs rates on Italian cheesesafter the duties imposed in 2019. With the measures announced by Trump on April 2, the pecorino, so far remained exempted so far, will also be penalized with a 20%duty, while they will suffer mozzarella, burrata, ricotta and mascarpone rise, which go from 10 to 30%, the provolone (from 15 to 35%) and the Gorgonzola (from 20 to 40%). « We are worried – declares the president of the Paolo Zanetti Association – Because Italy is the first country in the world for the export of cheeses to the United States With 40,867 tons, almost double the French, and for Italian companies the USA are the first extra European destination with 486 million euros of export value. These additional duties will cost dearly in absolute value since in 2019 cheeses costs half compared to today ». Diversify in other markets? «The USA are the third market of outlet of Italian cheeses after France and Germany: it is not conceivable to replace them. We need a peaceful negotiation, that market is fundamental ».

Parmigiano Reggiano, America Valle 22.5%. Now the price rises to 59 dollars

The United States are the first foreign market of Parmigiano Reggianoequal to 22.5% of the total export share. « In 2024 over 16,000 tons were exported, with an increase of +13.4% on 2023 », recalls the president of the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium Nicola Bertinelli. «Before this increase, the 24 -month DOP cheese, which in Italy is now sold for about 15 euros/kg, in the US it ended up on the shelves with an average price of about 50 dollars per kg (44 euros/kg). With the new additional duties, the same will be sold at about 59 dollars per kg (52 euros/kg) », explains Bertinelli. « We will work to search with the negotiating street», He continues, underlining the need to make it clear that » it makes no sense to apply duties to a product such as Parmesan that is not in real competition with American Parmesan « . As an alternative to the duties, the Consortium supports the collaboration between Italy and the United States based on the mutual recognition of excellence and intends to work on this with the Institutions, Associations and the US companies.

Oil, at the table the habits of the US could change

The duties announced by Trump They also worry the oil industry. «The USA are the first export country of Italian extra virgin. Out of 3 billion euros of export in 2024, around 1.1 billion are the result of exchanges with America « explained Nicola Ruggiero, president of the Oliveti in Italy Consortium. « We combine on average 15 million a year and fortunately we are not unbalanced towards the USA since we do not produce the entire range of oils but only the high -end extra virgin » « added Ruggiero. « Dop and PGI products while representing only 4-5% of national average, is the one that is growing the most in exports ». Probably « there will be an initial setback but we do not know how American consumers will react. Many buy the extra virgin olive for health reasons. The risk is that eating habits are questioned who are changing, due to known food problems. America has an interest in pushing seed oils, being the largest world producer.

Peeled and past, 15% of exports in the USA. And the tax grows at 32%

The tomato pasta? In New York it will cost more. Customs taxes will increase on the preserves of Made in Italy. 12% existing duties should rise to 32% (with 20% more announced by Washington). « 60 percent of the tomato preserves produced in Italy – explains Giovanni De Angelis, general manager of Anicav, the National Industrial Association of Plant Food Conserves born in Naples in 1945 – are sold abroad for a value of three billion on 5.5 billion in turnover of the sector. The United States represent an important slice, with 15% of the extra-European export. The quality of our peeled, past and pulp ready manages to beat Italian sounding and the American products of California And we are also growing well with the sauces ready for tomato. But the increase in prices caused by the duties risks making American consumers fall on the most convenient preserves. There is great apprehension, but we trust in a strong but prudent action on the part of the EU to protect our companies « .

Wine and alcohol, 450 thousand workers. The impact on stocks

« The alcohol sector between the United States and Italy supports about two million jobs – said Chiara Soldati, president of the Federvini house -. The turnover of trade between the USA and the EU recorded, between 1997 and 2018, an increase of 450%, reaching a value of 200 billion dollars. However, between 2018 and 2021, with the introduction of duties on the spirits towards the EU, the exports of Italian liqueurs have undergone a drop of 41%». This scenario could be repeated today. The sector is worth over 2 billion in exports to the USA. « Only in Italy, the sector uses 450,000 workers, not to mention the induced related to wine and packaging ». The economic impact is also significant for the timing of the introduction of the duties that takes place during the change of vintage, when the importers make warehouse supplies. «This could lead to contractual recesses and a reduction in exports. President Von der Leyen has opened a dialogue channel and the countermeascent package is almost definedbut a commercial war is not the solution ».

Parma and San Daniele: shipped 800 thousand Hams overseas, the supply chains at risk

In 2024, 800 thousand Parma hams were intended for the US market, that is A third of the total export fee, generating a turnover of 100 million euros. Truly considerable figures, if you think that 15 years ago the number of hams exported to the United States was about half of it. « Penalizing the marketing of our product risks having impactful consequences », explains Alessandro Utini, president of the Parma Ham Consortium. «A product like ours, which enjoys the protected denomination of origin, has an indissoluble link with its territory, it cannot be relocated at any phase of its processing. Parma ham can only be produced within the typical area. Limit its entry into the US soil, through unfavorable commercial conditions « , continues Utini, » cannot in any way favor a local production, as the logic of the duties would like. The consequence in terms of consumption will be to penalize the purchase choices of many overseas customers ».