Fear of US tariffs

Spanish farmers are usually as pending from heaven as of the offices in which the policies that will mark their crops are decided. Since Sunday, the latter weigh much more than the first or any drought threat. The agreement signed by the European Commission and the USA throws The elongated shadow Of 15% tariffs on their transatlantic exports, a panorama that the wine or oil sector observes with concern, but also others with important interests in the US, such as The industry of garlic.

There is discouragement and above all caution.

A percentage: 15%. THE PACT Signed in Scotland by Donald Trump and Ursula von der Leyen has unleashed a wave of reactions at the political and economic level. The reason: to avoid a commercial war of unpredictable consequences and that came to threaten with 50% tariffs To European exports in the US, Brussels has resigned to assume that most of the goods that sell on the other side of the Atlantic support a rate of 15%, which will reduce competitiveness.

That is the thick line. Then there is the small print, just as important. For example, everything indicates that the tax of 15% It will not be reciprocal For the US and includes the commitment that over the next few years Europe will buy energy products ‘Made in USA’ worth 750,000 million dollars. Another key is that the pact provides certain exceptions, products that will enjoy a “Zero by zero tariffs”. The problem is that they have not yet been defined.

Beyond wine and olive oil. It is known that in that sack of goods with “zero tariffs by zero” “strategic products” will be included for the US, such as chemicals, semiconductor equipment, natural resources and “certain agricultural products.” Which is it? How will the rate be applied to the rest? That is two keys.

Shortly to announce the agreement two of the most powerful and higher interest branches in the US, wine and olive oil, soon raised their voice to warn of the damage that would cause them to support a 15%tariff. The Employer of Wine (CEEV) in fact calculates that such a tax would sink its sales 10% in the North American country. Olive oil producers too They have recognized That the 15% rate is “totally negative”, although they are cautious.

The wineries and oil mills are not the only ones who have shown their concern. Efeagro has published A chronicle in which it includes the concerns of three other sectors that have also seen how their horizon is complicated with the agreement: the almond, the preserves fishing and especially the garlic, a crucial industry in the Spanish field. Although it may not be as popular as its wine or oil, Spain is a world power In garlic culture and the American A key market.

The garlic trembles. At the beginning of the FEPEX year, the Federation of fruit producing associations and vegetables, I calculated That only during the first ten months of 2024 Spain had sent 14,604 tons of garlic to the US, which made it “the main fruit and vegetable exported” by Spain to the country, well above the onion (5,198 t) or the lemon and the lime (1.927 t). Between January and May 2025 that flow has already exceeded the 3,200 t With a value of 15 million euros. They are interesting data, but also show how well it is at the rate.

Touched producers. “In the absence of knowing the details of the agreement and knowing if the exports of EU agricultural products would be taxed by this tariff, garlic producers would be one of the most affected, since it is the best -selling product within the fresh fruit and vegetables sector to the US with 3,248 t in the period from January to May, which represents about 70% of the entire Spanish export in that period,” warns The Federation of Spanish Producers.

FEPEX recalls that the value of its exports represented during that same period (January-May) 75% of the total noted by the sector. At a considerable distance in volume of merchandise would be mandarin and lemon.

“Pants descent”. The restless situation also to farmers dedicated to almond. The Spanish Association of Ecological and Conventional Almond Producers has recognized that the agreement leaves them in a complicated situation and even speaks of “A drop in girdle and pants” of Brussels in accepting that the European fruit that wants to be sold in the US assumes tariffs that will far exceed those who are American in Europe.

In statements collected by Agroclmthe association clogs the situation of “unfair and unequal”. “It certifies the betrayal of our European authorities with the European and Spanish agricultural sector.” The US is the great almond producer of the world, with a contribution of about 85%10% light years that the EU represents. Within European production Spain has an outstanding position.

I keep it, expectant. Another pending sector that the small print of the agreement signed by Trump and von der Leyen is outlined is that of the fishing retain. Roberto Alonso, from Anfaco-Cytma, Recognize Efeagro that the industry expects to know the technical details of the agreement and “how” 15% at the time of truth will be applied. “We not only export products to the US market, such as octopus, sepias, squid or mussels, we also import raw materials such as the abadejo for surimi or hake, we do not know what tariff they will have.”

“The imposition of tariffs has an impact on trade. We will have to wait to know how the market behaves and also the relationships between operators after all knowing,” Alonso emphasizes. When Trump a few months ago he announced that he would impose a 20% tariff to European imports, Anfaco admitted to being “worried” for the weight of the US market for its companies. Only in 2024, he remembered, Spain exported more than 26,000 tons of sea products of different types for a value that was around 290 million euros.

Images | Kairi Kaljo (Unspash), EC and Gage Skidmore (Flickr) 1 and 2

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