Tariff Relief for Peruvian Farmers

The Executive Order, signed Friday, November 14, exempts 237 agricultural subheadings under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Of these, 79 subheadings directly benefit products that Peru exports to the U.S. market. According to data from the United States International Trade Commission (USITC), these excluded products accounted for an export value of $1.126 billion in 2024, representing 11.7% of Peru’s total shipments to the U.S., which amounted to $9.605 billion.

“This decision marks an important step in improving access conditions and reinforces predictability for Peruvian products in the U.S. market,” said César Tello Ramírez, President of ADEX. He added that the measure strengthens Peruvian competitiveness in a key market and opens opportunities for expanding the exportable supply.

The United States is the second-largest destination for Peruvian exports, making this tariff adjustment particularly impactful for the nation’s economy.

Key Products Included and Excluded

The revised policy reinstates pre-existing tariff rates for the 79 Peruvian products. Gabriel Arrieta Padilla, Head of Economic Studies and Commercial Intelligence at CIEN-ADEX, confirmed that the exclusion is retroactive, applying to products that entered the U.S. from November 13, just one day prior to the official announcement.

However, several high-value agricultural products familiar to American consumers remain subject to the additional tariffs. Notably, blueberries, grapes, and asparagus were not included in the exclusion list and will continue to bear the increased duties implemented in April. These products were previously identified in an annex as subjects the U.S. would not consider for future additional tariff elimination negotiations.

Top Benefiting Product Categories

The tariff relief is particularly beneficial for signature Peruvian agricultural products. The top five excluded subheadings alone account for 72% of the total value benefiting from the exemption. These include:

• Unroasted, non-defatted coffee
• Fresh or dried avocados
• Cocoa butter, fat, and oil
• Fresh mangoes and mangosteens
• Uncrushed or ground ginger

Broader Impact and Future Outlook

Beyond fruits and vegetables, the list of excluded items also encompasses livestock products, bakery ingredients, juices, and certain chemicals and fertilizers. Peru’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Teresa Mera, emphasized the significant impact of this measure, highlighting that the excluded products generated approximately $1.2 billion in exports to the U.S. in 2024, accounting for 24% of all shipments to that market.

“A product to highlight is fruit juice. We are already beginning to diversify our export offering further, not only with fresh products but also seeking to consolidate our presence in products with more added value,” Mera stated, noting that with this expansion, nearly 50% of Peru’s export value to the U.S. is now free from reciprocal tariffs.

Minister Mera also pointed out that Peruvian exports to the U.S. have seen an increase from January to September 2025, even with the previous reciprocal tariffs, as the measures did not create a specific disadvantage for Peru compared to other nations facing higher duties. The export sector is a vital engine for Peru, generating an estimated one million direct jobs and benefiting around three million people indirectly.

ADEX has urged the Peruvian government to continue negotiations for the elimination of reciprocal tariffs on other subheadings, particularly in the textile and apparel sector, where Peruvian exporters may face disadvantages compared to Central American nations.