Okay Now All Coffee Is Exempt From Tariffs (Including Brazil)

The coffee tariffs are finally gone. We mean it this time (we think). Last week, it was announced that coffee and other commodities not grown in the United States would be exempted from the “Liberation Day” tariffs, the 10% reciprocal tax applied globally across the board, to all imports. Then over the weekend, the Brazilian vice president stated that, while the 10% tariff was gone, the subsequent 40% tariff applied to all Brazilian goods, including coffee, still stood.

But finally, the president has signed an order to remove that 40% fee as well. Better late than never.

As reported by Reuters, the order was signed late on Thursday, November 20^th, and it removes the additional tariff on key Brazilian exports, including beef, cocoa, fruits, and coffee. The exemption retroactively takes effect on November 13^th, meaning any duties collected on these imports “may require a refund.” Which corroborates my suspicion that the 40% tariff remaining was a whoopsie doodle and that the government doesn’t entirely know how government works and thought they were exempting all the tariffs on coffee before. But whatever I’ll take it. I’m not looking this gift horse in the mouth.

National Coffee Association President and CEO Bill Murray (once again) praised the exemption: “Two-thirds of American adults drink coffee each day, and every cup will cost less thanks to President Trump’s decision to remove tariffs on coffee imports from Brazil—the world’s largest coffee producer. Tariff-free trade of America’s favorite beverage will ease cost-of-living pressures, keep a healthy diet choice affordable, and strengthen coffee’s enormous contributions to the U.S. economy.”

Speaking to Reuters, commodities analyst Judith Gaines states that folks can expect “thousands of bags of Brazilian coffee that were sitting in bonded warehouses to start moving quickly to U.S. roasters.”

With the tariffs officially gone, the global coffee industry, for which Brazil and America were the largest players in the supply side and demand side, respectively, can return to business as usual and hopefully provide a little stability. Now we can get back to reporting on stories that really matter, like the coffee-stealing parrot.

Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.