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New American tariffs increase pressure on Brazilian sectors that depend on specific buyers, technical contracts, and consumer niches, while the government tries to diversify destinations for exports affected by the trade dispute with the United States.
Brazilian companies in the machinery and equipment, textiles, and fishery sectors believe they will have difficulty replacing the United States market if new tariffs on Brazilian products are confirmed.
The proposals under review by the American government could raise the charge to up to 37.5%, or 47.5% if added to the global tariff of 10% still in effect.
The search for other buyers, advocated by the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as an alternative to reduce losses, faces limits in these segments, according to business representatives consulted on the matter.
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Unlike commodities, these products usually depend on technical requirements, consumption standards, and commercial relationships built over years with specific buyers.
The USTR, the United States Trade Representative, recommended an additional tariff of 25% against part of Brazilian exports, alleging unfair trade practices.
According to the MDIC, the measure could affect about 21% of Brazil’s export agenda to the US, if confirmed after the public consultation stage.
Another American investigation, related to policies against products made with forced labor, included Brazil in a list of countries subject to an additional tariff of 12.5%.
The Brazilian government rejected the justification and classified the proposal as a unilateral and protectionist measure, while exporting sectors try to demonstrate the economic impacts of the potential charges.
The two charges are still undergoing public consultation in the United States, a stage where companies and governments can present arguments before a final decision.
Among the exceptions provided are products such as oil, aircraft, meats, coffee, and some fruits, which leaves industrial and niche segments aimed at the American market more exposed.
Redirecting exports does not meet all sectors
Lula stated that he intends to negotiate with the Donald Trump government, but said that Brazil will seek other partners if the United States reduces purchases of Brazilian products.
“We are not going to sit around crying. We will look for other partners,” declared the president in a ministerial meeting, while advocating for the expansion of markets for the country’s exports.
Despite the official strategy, businesspeople and economists state that replacing destinations does not happen immediately in sectors with custom-made products or those aimed at specific niches.
Industrial products, parts, machinery, clothing, and seafood depend on technical specifications, consumption habits, and contracts which, according to sector representatives, do not quickly replicate in other countries.
Economist João Carmo, from 4Intelligence, states that Brazil showed the ability to redirect part of its exports during the first tariff hike, but notes that the sectoral effects were uneven.
In his assessment, companies with smaller scale and greater dependence on the United States tend to face stronger losses if the new tariffs come into effect.
Constanza Negri, manager of Trade and International Integration at CNI, believes that diversification should be treated as a complementary strategy, not as a full replacement of the American market.
According to the entity, the United States buys more complex and value-added industrial products from Brazil, making this market relevant for technology-intensive production chains.
Trade balance resisted, but segments lost market
A BNDES study on the previous tariff hike indicates that redirecting sales helped protect the overall result of the Brazilian trade balance, although it did not prevent losses in all sectors.
In 2025, total Brazilian exports grew even with the drop in sales to the United States, according to the survey cited by representatives of the productive sector.
Between August and December 2025, the period after the tariffs took effect, exports to the world advanced, while shipments to the United States declined.
The difference between the two results indicates, according to the study, that new markets helped compensate for part of the losses, but did not eliminate impacts on specific chains.
Wood, charcoal, and wood products saw a sharp decline in sales to the United States and also registered a drop in global performance.
Fish and crustaceans experienced a significant decline, while machinery, appliances, and electrical materials also showed losses in shipments to Americans and in the overall result.
In the seafood sector, the president of Abipesca, Eduardo Lobo, states that new destinations helped move stocks, but at lower prices than those practiced in the American market.
Part of the sales to the United States was maintained, according to him, but with reduced margins due to the loss of competitiveness caused by the tariffs.
“This taxation puts the sector again without competitiveness for the USA, compared to competitors from Central America and the Caribbean,” said Lobo.
He claims that the sum of the tariffs could bring the charge closer to the 50% level seen in the first major tariff increase, if the global tariff of 10% is maintained.
Machines and Equipment Face Technical Barrier
In the machinery and equipment sector, industry representatives claim that the difficulty in redirecting is mainly linked to the technical specifications required by the American buyer.
The CEO of Abimaq, José Velloso, states that the sector is among the most affected because oil and aircraft, other major items on the Brazilian agenda for the US, were preserved in the exceptions.
According to Velloso, production destined for the United States cannot always be relocated to another country, as many pieces of equipment are developed for specific standards of that market.
Machines sold to Americans follow their own requirements, such as measurements in pounds and inches, instead of kilograms and meters, in addition to specifications previously defined in contracts.
In the previous tariff increase, the drop in exports to the United States was not greater, according to Abimaq, because there was an increase in the average value sold and a resumption of purchases by other destinations.
Among the markets that helped sustain part of the result, Velloso cites Argentina and Singapore, which increased demand for Brazilian machines in 2025.
Even so, the entity calculates a significant loss of export potential during the period when American tariffs affected the competitiveness of Brazilian products.
“If we didn’t have the tariffs, we would probably have R$ 500 million more in exports in 2025,” said Velloso.
For the sector, business and governmental diplomacy is still considered necessary, while companies monitor the progress of the measures and the possible effects on future contracts.
Textile Industry Sees Hidden Losses in Overall Result
In the textile and apparel industry, sector representatives claim that the aggregate performance of exports may hide significant losses in specific segments.
The managing director of Abit, Fernando Pimentel, says that some exported lines have grown, but products related to fashion and consumer niches have lost strength in the American market.
The sales of sisal ropes helped the overall result by serving the United States’ agriculture and not being subject to additional tariffs in the previous round.
On the other hand, fashion, apparel, filaments, fibers, and fabrics experienced significant declines in the period following the tariff increase, according to data cited by the entity.
Pimentel states that smaller companies are the most vulnerable, especially in the apparel segment, where part of the external revenue depends on American buyers.
Some of these companies have built a presence in niches such as beachwear, a sector in which Brazil has brands aimed at specific consumers abroad.
“When we talk about the macro, we forget about the micro, which are small companies that operate in this niche market and have 30% to 40% of their revenue coming from the USA,” said the representative of Abit.
Substitution by the domestic market also faces obstacles, according to the textile industry, which points to high competition with Asian imports in different price ranges.
While trying to preserve international clients, the sector is also seeking to reverse tax changes in Congress and reduce the combined effects of the trade dispute with the United States and domestic competition.
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