US Raises Tariffs on Soybean Exports to China to 44%

On April 2, the White House announced the introduction of new tariffs for over 50 countries, including a 54% tariff on Chinese goods, which took effect upon President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January. Accordingly, starting April 10, soybean exports from the US to China will be subject to a new tariff of 44%.

This is reported by AgroReview

Two days after the US announcement, China responded to this tariff increase by imposing its own additional levy of 34% on goods from the US. This means that for certain products, such as wheat and soybeans, tariffs of 10–15% are already in place, and with the new rates, the total tariff will reach 44%.

Expectations for 2025

According to the Foreign Agricultural Service of the US Department of Agriculture, more than half of the value of US soybeans will be shipped to China in 2024. A report published on March 31 noted that American farmers plan to plant soybeans on 83.5 million acres in 2025, which is a 4.1% decrease from the previous year. Analysts believe that China will primarily focus on purchasing soybeans from Brazil in the coming months.

Impact on Other Agricultural Products

As the world’s largest buyer of agricultural products, China will significantly impact US agricultural trade. With new tariffs that will also affect goods such as sorghum, dairy products, wheat, corn, poultry, and meat, over $15.7 billion in US exports will be at risk with new rates ranging from 44% to 49% starting April 10.

“Of the top 10 soybean export destinations from the US last year, which accounted for $22.6 billion in sales, only Mexico ($2.3 billion) escaped the escalation of the trade war.”

This development could significantly affect the agricultural sectors of both countries, forcing them to adapt their trade strategies.