‘17% US tariff on PH goods may be detrimental to agri sector’

President Donald Trump speaks during an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo)

MANILA, Philippines — Local farmers’ groups warned that the 17 percent tariff imposed on Philippine goods  by the United States may be “detrimental” to the agricultural sector.

“The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) and the Magsasaka Party-list cautioned the government against complacency and warned that the additional 17-percent [tariff]… may actually be detrimental to the country’s agricultural sector,” the groups said on a statement on Saturday after Malacañang said the tariff will only have a “minimal impact” on the country.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro on Thursday insisted that the 17-percent tariff on the Philippines was “good news” since some of the country’s southeast Asian neighbors were slapped with higher tariffs.

The tariff on Cambodia was at 49 percent, Vietnam at 46 percent, Thailand at 36 percent, Indonesia at 32 percent and Malaysia 24 percent.

“Even if competing products become more expensive than ours, the fact remains that our products will still become 17 percent more expensive to the American consumer who can then decide to stop buying our products and shift to cheaper substitutes,” FFF Chairperson Leonardo Montemayor said in the statement.

“[C]ompeting countries may provide additional support to their producers and exporters in order to offset the increase in US tariffs and maintain their competitive advantage,” the group added.

READ: Malacañang says 17% tariff from US on PH goods has ‘minimal impact’

US President Donald Trump announced the tariffs on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) as part of a bid to “strengthen the international economic position of the United States and protect American workers.”

It will come into effect on April 9.

READ: Trump sets 17% tariff on Philippine goods coming to America 

Philippine exports to the US were valued at US$12.14 billion (P696.65 billion) in 2024, comprising 16.6 percent of the country’s total exports that year, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.