U.S. Proposes 107% Tariff on Italian Pasta Imports, Raising Cost Concerns

The U.S. Department of Commerce has proposed a significant increase in tariffs on Italian pasta imports, potentially raising the total duty to 107%. This decision stems from an investigation alleging that 13 major Italian pasta producers sold their products in the U.S. at unfairly low prices between July 2023 and June 2024. The proposed tariffs include an additional 91.74% duty on top of the existing 15% tariff on European Union imports.

Long Island grocers are expressing concern over the potential impact of these tariffs on their businesses. Paul Barbieri, co-owner of Pino's Italian Food Market by the Original Salpino's, has proactively stocked up on pasta across his three stores in anticipation of rising costs. He stated, "All our stores are bursting at the gills with pasta. We bought bulk — as much as we possibly could ... hoping it would last until the tariffs stop or decrease."

Other local grocers are adopting a wait-and-see approach. Anthony Fiorito, co-owner of Seven Brothers Gourmet in Oceanside, mentioned, "I haven’t seen anything terrible happen yet, where there’s a lack of customers or people aren’t buying the merchandise. As of now, we are just hoping it blows over."

The Commerce Department's preliminary decision is open to review, with a final determination expected by January 2, 2026. White House spokesperson Kush Desai indicated that if the pasta companies provide the requested data, the tariff rate could be significantly lower, between 7% and 10%.

Italian officials and industry leaders have opposed the proposed tariffs, arguing that there is no evidence of dumping and warning that small and medium-sized producers could be devastated. The European Union's Trade Commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, has intervened in the dispute, stating that the decision lacked a full and fair factual basis and confirming discussions with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

The outcome of this trade dispute could have significant implications for both Italian pasta producers and American consumers, potentially leading to higher prices and reduced availability of imported Italian pasta products.