Haiti overtakes U.S. as second-largest buyer of Brazilian wine after tariff hike
Haiti has overtaken the United States to become the second-largest destination for Brazilian wine exports, as the sector navigates the effects of new U.S. tariffs on Brazilian products.
According to data from Brazil’s trade ministry MDIC, Haiti imported $1.2 million worth of Brazilian wine between January and July, while the United States bought $544,600. Paraguay remained the leading destination, with $4.3 million in imports over the first seven months of the year.
In the same period last year, Brazilian wine exports to the United States had totaled $791,100, compared with $521,300 to Haiti. The figures represent a 31.1% decline in sales to the U.S. market and a 127% increase in shipments to the Caribbean country.
Despite the drop in sales to the United States, Brazilian wine exports rose 23.73% in the first half from the same period a year earlier. In the first six months of the year, Brazilian wines reached 79 countries, a 20.4% increase in the number of markets served.
The data come from Wines of Brazil, a project led by Consevitis-RS, the wine industry planning and development institute in Rio Grande do Sul state, in partnership with ApexBrasil, the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency.
According to Consevitis-RS, the increase reflects wineries’ strategy of opening new commercial fronts while strengthening established markets.
In addition to Haiti, Brazilian wine exports grew to Argentina, up 370%; Sierra Leone, up 321%; Uruguay, up 244%; Japan, up 195%; China, up 14%; and Angola, up 8%, considering the main destinations for Brazilian wine.
Source: Gazeta do Povo