Trump cuts tariffs on food imports, including tropical fruits, tea, and spice

US President Donald Trump has cut tariffs on food imports as “affordability” is emerging as a potential political force, and India’s mango, pomegranate, and tea exports may benefit.

Tropical fruits and juices, tea, and spices were among the imports that won’t be hit by reciprocal tariffs, the White House announced on Friday.

The other items mentioned in the White House Factsheet were coffee and tea, cocoa, oranges, tomatoes, and



beef.

Trump imposed 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on imports from India and added a punitive 25 per cent for buying Russian oil.

But to contain inflation, Trump earlier exempted generic medicines from tariffs, benefiting India, which supplies 47 per cent of generic medicines prescribed in the US.

Some of the increases in food product prices were due to the higher tariffs, which were passed on, in whole or in part, by importers and retailers to the customers.