US Imposes Additional 12.5% Tariff on Turkish Olive Oil
· Tarım Dünyası
The U.S. Trade Representative's final decision mandates an additional 12.5% tariff on Turkish olive and olive oil products, on top of existing minimum duties.
US Imposes Additional Tariff on Olive Oil
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has finalized its comprehensive trade investigation, deciding to impose an additional tariff on Turkish-origin olive and olive oil products. According to official information conveyed to exporters by the Aegean Exporters' Associations, Turkey was not included in the exemption list for this product group. Under the new tariff regulation, an additional 12.5% tax will be collected on top of the existing minimum customs duty, which ranges from 3 to 5 cents per kilogram. This decision has created significant cost pressure across the sector.
Competition Against Tunisia and the EU
The newly announced customs decisions place countries that are major competitors to Turkey in the international olive oil trade in an advantageous position. For shipments from European Union countries, the total obligation, including the minimum customs duty, has been set at 10%. Tunisia, one of Turkey's most significant market rivals, has been completely exempted from the additional tariff, continuing to pay only the existing minimum duty. This scenario has created a foundation that directly weakens the competitive power of Turkish exporters in the U.S. market.
Export Decline and Market Risk
The United States is the largest foreign market for Turkish olive oil sales. According to data from the Aegean Olive and Olive Oil Exporters' Associations, Turkey's overall olive oil exports decreased by 52% in volume to 11,000 tons during the January-June 2026 period. Foreign exchange earnings in the same period also fell by 48% to $57 million. There are concerns that the additional tariff imposed on the U.S. market, which is at the peak of exports, will further accelerate the current downward trend.
Background of the Investigation and Initiatives
The process conducted by the USTR is based on a review of labor policies in 60 countries, accounting for 99.4% of U.S. imports. While the additional rate for countries that reached an agreement, such as Canada and Mexico, was kept at 10%, this rate was determined to be 12.5% for Turkey. The Aegean Exporters' Associations announced that official initiatives have been promptly launched under the coordination of the Ministry of Trade and relevant exporter associations to rectify these unfair competition conditions that have arisen against Turkey.