China retaliates with tariffs on US agri imports

Tariffs on US imports from Canada, Mexico and China which were announced at the end of January came into effect this week.

A 25% tariff has been put on a range of products imported from Canada and Mexico while an additional 10% has been added to the 10% already imposed on imports from China.

China has retaliated by announcing tariffs on US technology, aviation and defence companies as well as a range of agricultural products that they import from the US. A 10% tariff will be applied to US sorghum, soybeans, pork, and beef while chicken, wheat, maize, and cotton will carry a 15% tariff (China Daily).

In 2024, 215,603 tonnes of US beef, worth just over $2bn (€1.9bn) was exported to China.

This makes China the fourth-largest export market for US beef by volume and the second largest by value last year.

During the previous Trump administration, a trade row with China led to China imposing import tariffs of 25% on the same products in 2018.

Agri food products were not included in the first round of retaliatory tariffs announced by Canada this week and Mexico has yet to announce what products they will target.

President Trump has also indicated that the EU will be subject to 25% import tariffs but hasn’t yet indicated when these will come into effect.

However he did tell US farmers on a social media post this week to “get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States,” and that “tariffs will go on external product on 2 April.”