Trinidad and Tobago’s exports of anhydrous ammonia, urea and urea-ammonium nitrate will again enter the United States duty-free after President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order on 14 November modifying the scope of reciprocal tariffs introduced earlier this year.
The Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs said the decision reverses a move made in April, when the products were removed from Annex II of Executive Order 14257 and subjected to a 15 per cent tariff. The new measure takes effect for goods entering the US from 12:01 a.m. on 13 November.
According to the White House, the order was issued after updated assessments on trade negotiations, domestic demand and domestic production capacity. It said certain agricultural products will no longer fall under the reciprocal tariff regime that the United States introduced in April as part of its response to what it described as national-security and economic risks linked to persistent US trade deficits.
Trinidad and Tobago exported roughly TT$3 billion in ammonia and urea products to the United States in 2024 under tariff codes 2814.10.00, 3102.10.00 and 3102.80.00. The Ministry said the return to zero tariffs is expected to remove the added cost burden exporters faced since April.
The update follows several months of engagement between Trinidad and Tobago and senior US officials. In August, local officials met representatives of the United States Trade Representative’s Office and the US Department of Commerce. In September, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and senior government officials visited Washington for discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, where Trinidad and Tobago’s energy and food-security role was raised.
Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Sean Sobers said the tariff removal is expected to ease the impact of the earlier increases. He said the Government will continue discussions with the United States to secure further tariff relief and expand market access for energy and non-energy exports.
