With the high tariff, exports of Brazilian cocoa to the USA become "prohibitive," says AIPC

With an estimated loss of around R$ 180 million, the cocoa and derivatives sector sees the increase in tariffs as an obstacle to the continuity of exports to the United States. In an interview with Pryscilla Paiva on Mercado & Cia, the executive president of AIPC (National Association of Cocoa Processing Industries), Anna Paula Losi, stated that the scenario is quite challenging. "A tariff of 50% makes our cocoa butter prohibitive for the American market. With this, our importers will certainly seek other suppliers," Losi declared. The executive explained that, despite Brazil being an importer of cocoa, the domestic market does not have the capacity to absorb the volume currently destined for exports to the USA. "We estimate that if the tariffs are maintained, the loss will be almost 10% in cocoa grinding in Brazil, that is, in the activity of the national industry. And then comes the question: 'But Brazil does not have enough cocoa and needs to import, so will it stop importing?' ...