India’s exports of spices, tea and cashew to gain as Trump rolls back tariff hike

New Delhi, Nov 16 (IANS) Indian exports of food goods such as spices, tea and cashew nuts to the US market are set to benefit from a major tariff cut announced by President Donald Trump on nearly 200 food products to make them more affordable for local consumers, following a political backlash over rising prices.

Among the products included in the revised list are an array of Indian exports, black pepper, cloves, cumin, cardamom, turmeric, ginger, several tea varieties, mango derivatives and nuts such as cashew.

India’s exports of spices to the US were valued at over $500 million in 2024, while tea and coffee exports amounted to nearly $83 million. India also exports close to $200 million of cashew nuts to the US.

Indian officials said nearly 50 processed food categories, with export values estimated at $491 million last year, stand to gain the most. This includes coffee and tea extracts, cocoa-based items, fruit juices, pulp products, mango preparations and vegetable waxes.

Spices, valued at $359 million, are expected to be the next major beneficiary. Another 48 types of fruits and nuts, among them coconuts, guavas, mangoes, cashew nuts, bananas, areca nuts and pineapples, will also see an advantage, though these accounted for only about $55 million in exports. Collectively, the revised list touches nearly one-fifth of India’s $5.7 billion agricultural shipments.

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order allowing a range of food products as his administration faces mounting pressure over rising prices. While Trump previously downplayed concerns about the cost of living, he has been forced to act on the issue after his Republican Party was defeated in elections last week in the states of Virginia and New Jersey.

The Trump administration said these products cannot be produced in sufficient quantities domestically. The tariff exemptions for food products take effect retroactively at midnight on Thursday, November 13, the White House said.

–IANS

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