Will US tariffs on Vietnam affect coffee and pepper exports?

Mỹ áp thuế - Ảnh 1. — Vietnamese pepper and coffee exporters say they are not worried when the US imposes tariffs on other countries because their US partners have informed them that the tariffs are all "free," meaning zero. - Photo: T. THUONG

On April 3-4, speaking with Tuoi Tre Online , Mr. Phan Minh Thong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Phuc Sinh Joint Stock Company, stated that his American partner had just sent him correspondence regarding the US imposing tariffs on other countries.

Notably, Vietnamese pepper and coffee exported to the US both have a zero tariff rate.

"According to the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule, revised 5th edition, 2025, roasted or unroasted, decaffeinated coffee, and coffee substitutes containing coffee in any form, are all subject to 'free' export duties."

"And exporting pepper to the US is the same; everything is almost free. As a pepper and coffee exporting business, when I receive information from my US partners, I have nothing to worry about," Mr. Thong emphasized.

According to Mr. Thong, exports to Europe, Germany, Japan, and the Middle East have grown well thanks to tariff preferences and high demand for sustainably developed, deeply processed products.

To mitigate risks from international trade policies, Mr. Thong suggested that Vietnamese businesses need to proactively seek new markets to create new business opportunities.

“With the volatile international market, businesses need flexible response plans. Instead of making business plans on a monthly or yearly basis, they should switch to weekly, or even daily, plans. And they must always be vigilant about fluctuations in commodity prices, especially with sharp increases in coffee and pepper prices, wars, and volatile shipping rates…,” Mr. Thong added.

Meanwhile, Mr. Phan Dinh Quan, director of EZ Shipping Co., Ltd. ( Hanoi ), said that on the morning of April 3rd, two containers of agricultural products belonging to the company left the port.

Mr. Quan said: "When the US imposes tariffs on other countries, customers are also confused and don't know what to expect. But once the customs declaration is completed and everything is ready, the goods 'set sail'. The goods have to spend about 30 days at sea before reaching the US. At that time, partners from both sides will negotiate the new tariff rates."

With the US imposing tariffs on other countries, Vietnam's retaliatory tariff of 46% will directly impact agricultural products.

In discussions with the Southern leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment , this official stated that if the US imposes tariffs on other countries, including a reciprocal tariff of 46% on Vietnam's agricultural products, the impact will be direct.

"But each item will have a different tariff rate; the tariff rate for shrimp is different from the tariff rate for fish. And according to coffee and pepper exporting businesses, the current 'free' export tariff, meaning no tax is levied, may also be correct. Because businesses and their American partners interact 24/7, exchanging information related to shipping documents and the interests of both sides," this person said.

To respond to the US imposing tariffs on various countries, while negotiations are still ongoing, this expert also suggested that the current solution for Vietnamese agricultural products is to improve productivity and quality, lower costs to compete with other markets; expand agricultural exports to other markets, and avoid dependence on a single market…

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THAO THUONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/my-ap-thue-viet-nam-co-anh-huong-xuat-khau-ca-phe-va-tieu-20250403203712708.htm