Producers warn: the entire “Made in Italy” sector is at risk
The United States has announced that it will impose steep tariffs—up to 107 percent—on Italian pasta, effective January 1, 2026. Italian producers warn that the measure could seriously endanger one of the country’s key export industries.
The U.S. administration plans to increase the existing 15 percent tariff by 91.74 percent, citing alleged dumping by La Molisana and Garofalo, two Italian pasta manufacturers under investigation by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Such investigations are launched almost every year at the request of domestic U.S. producers, but additional duties have rarely exceeded two percent. This time, however, authorities found average dumping margins of nearly 92 percent between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024.
Alongside La Molisana and Garofalo, other companies such as Agritalia and Barilla are also listed in the report, although Barilla may be partially exempt due to its U.S. production facilities.
Italian Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida condemned the decision as a “hyper-protectionist measure with no justification,” while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is closely monitoring the situation.
Italy produces over four million tons of pasta annually, exporting about 60 percent, with the U.S. market alone valued at around 700 million dollars. The total annual revenue of the pasta sector exceeds 8.7 billion euros.
The Italian Food Producers’ Union described the planned tariffs as “an insult to a product that symbolizes Italian identity,” calling the decision political rather than technical.
“This is the harshest ruling ever issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce. It has deeply affected and disappointed us,” the Union stated.
The agricultural organization Coldiretti warned that a 107 percent tariff would double the price of a plate of pasta in the U.S. and open the door to counterfeit ‘Italian’ products.
“While the U.S. attacks ‘Made in Italy’, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government remains silent. Where are the concrete measures to protect our companies?” asked opposition MP Silvia Fregolent, urging both the Italian government and the EU to act swiftly.
Italian producers now expect Rome and Brussels to take diplomatic and trade measures to protect a product that symbolizes the Mediterranean diet and European food excellence.
