Italian pasta producers have secured a last-minute reprieve after the US government sharply reduced proposed tariffs that had threatened to almost double prices for American consumers. Duties initially floated at levels of up to 92% have now been scaled back to a range of between 2% and 14%.
The tariffs were announced after the Trump administration accused 13 Italian companies, including Barilla, La Molisana and Garofalo, of selling pasta in the US at unfairly low prices. Italy exports an estimated $770m worth of pasta to the American market each year, making the sector particularly vulnerable to trade restrictions.
Following a review by the US Department of Commerce, Washington said Italian producers had addressed many of its concerns during the investigation. While the revised tariffs would still apply on top of a general 15% duty on most EU goods, officials stressed that no final decision has yet been taken.
According to Italy's foreign ministry, La Molisana is set to face a tariff of just over 2%, while Garofalo's duty would be close to 14%. The remaining companies targeted in the probe would see tariffs of around 9%. The final outcome of the investigation is expected on 12 March.