Brazil challenges new U.S. tariffs at the WTO. These are the Brazilian export categories potentially facing the greatest exposure [OC] Visualization

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Brazil has formally requested consultations with the United States through the World Trade Organization’s dispute-settlement system, escalating its response to a new series of American tariffs on Brazilian goods.

The dispute involves two separate measures. The first imposes an additional 25% tariff on most Brazilian products not covered by an exemption. The second applies duties of up to 12.5% over concerns about the enforcement of prohibitions on goods produced with forced labor.

Brazil argues that the measures are “unjustified and inconsistent” with U.S. obligations under the WTO. The U.S. Trade Representative says the 25% tariff responds to Brazilian policies involving ethanol market access, digital trade, intellectual property, preferential tariffs and illegal deforestation.

According to the Brazilian government, the new measures will affect approximately 23.1% of the country’s exports to the United States. About 16.5% could face combined duties of 37.5%.

What Brazil exports to the United States

Brazil exported approximately **US$37.7 billion** in goods to the United States in 2025.

The largest highlighted categories were:

* **Machinery and mechanical appliances:** US$3.33 billion * **Electrical machinery and equipment:** US$1.56 billion * **Wood and wood products:** US$1.27 billion * **Sugar and confectionery:** US$287.7 million * **Plastics:** US$252.3 million * **Paper products:** US$233.1 million * **Footwear:** US$212.7 million * **Furniture and related products:** US$204.4 million * **Beverages, spirits and vinegar:** US$176.4 million, of which ethanol represented approximately US$162.9 million

Machinery dominates the highlighted trade by value, but smaller industries may be more vulnerable because of their dependence on American buyers and their geographic concentration within Brazil.

Footwear, for example, generated only US$213 million in exports to the United States in 2025, but the market is particularly important for producers in Rio Grande do Sul, Ceará and São Paulo. Wood exports are concentrated primarily in Santa Catarina and Paraná, while São Paulo accounts for most Brazilian ethanol exports to the United States.

An industry already under pressure

The latest tariffs arrive after an earlier round of U.S. duties disrupted bilateral trade in 2025. Across a group of closely related product categories, exports were almost unchanged during the first seven months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. From August through December, however, their value fell by approximately 26%.

The decline was especially pronounced in wood products, paper, sugar and ethanol. This does not prove that tariffs were the sole cause, but the timing illustrates how quickly trade flows can change when import costs rise and buyers begin searching for alternative suppliers.

**Data:** Brazilian official monthly trade data available through [OEC](https://oec.world/en/profile/country/bra). **News and policy sources:** [Reuters on Brazil’s WTO request](https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazil-requests-wto-consultations-over-us-tariffs-2026-07-28/), [Reuters on the estimated tariff exposure](https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazil-says-165-exports-face-combined-us-duties-375-2026-07-24/) and the [U.S. Trade Representative’s announcement](https://www.ustr.gov/about/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2026/july/ustr-section-301-action-brazils-unreasonable-acts-policies-and-practices)., which allows us to understand complex relationships and insights within the data through visual storytelling.

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