Aficionados fret as Trump moves to make pasta great again

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Steel: 50%. Copper: 50%. Cars: up to 25%. But an adjacent bigger Trump-era levy looms: 107 % connected Italian pasta.

Mamma mia.

It started with the U.S. Commerce Department launching what it says was a regular antidumping review, based connected allegations Italian pasta makers sold merchandise into the US astatine below-market prices and undercut section competitors. That has led to a menace of 92% duties, which would travel connected apical of the 15% tariff President Donald Trump’s medication imposed connected European exports generally.

The quality sent shockwaves done Italy, wherever 13 producers would beryllium taxable to the whopping one-two punch. They accidental income successful their 2nd biggest export marketplace would shrivel if prices to American consumers much than double. And portion the measurement would hardly punctual pasta shortages, it inactive has perplexed importers similar Sal Auriemma, whose store successful Philadelphia’s Italian market, Claudio Specialty Food, has been operating for implicit 60 years.

“Pasta is simply a beauteous tiny assemblage to prime on. I mean, there’s a batch bigger things to prime on," said Auriemma, pointing to luxury items arsenic an alternative.

But pasta? “It’s basal food,” helium said. "Something’s got to beryllium sacred.”

Pasta adds heft to Italy's economy

Italy is simply a federation of avid pasta eaters. Less known is that astir of the tortellini, spaghetti and rigatoni its factories churn retired gets sent abroad. The U.S. accounts for astir 15% of its €4 cardinal ($4.65 billion) successful exports, making it Italy’s largest marketplace aft Germany, information from farmers’ relation Coldiretti show.

The punitive pasta premium has go a origin célèbre for Italy’s politicians, executives and economists. Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida told lawmakers successful mid-October that the authorities was moving with the European Commission and engaging successful diplomatic efforts, portion supporting the companies’ ineligible actions to reason U.S. sanctions.

EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic addressed reporters successful Rome past month, stressing the deficiency of grounds backing the U.S. determination and calling the combined 107% levy “unacceptable.”

Margherita Mastromauro, president of the pasta makers assemblage of Unione Italiana Food, told The Associated Press that prices for Italian pasta successful the U.S. stay high, and surely higher than American-made rivals — undermining immoderate dumping claim.

She said that the measures could woody a fatal stroke to small- and medium-sized producers. Lucio Miranda, president of consultancy radical Export USA, agreed.

“A work complaint of 107% would decidedly termination this travel of export,” Miranda, who is Italian, said by telephone from New York. “It’s not going to beryllium thing that you tin conscionable dump connected the user and determination on, beingness continues. It volition decidedly beryllium a woody killer.”

Wacky Mac proprietor cries foul

The Commerce Department’s probe started successful 2024 aft complaints from Missouri-based 8th Avenue Food & Provisions, which owns pasta marque Ronzoni, and Illinois-based Winland Foods, whose aggregate brands see Prince, Mueller’s and Wacky Mac.

The office’s reappraisal focused connected La Molisana and Garofalo, chosen arsenic superior respondents due to the fact that they are Italy’s 2 largest exporters, the Commerce Department said successful an emailed statement. Any merchantability terms beneath either producers’ costs oregon the terms they complaint successful the Italian marketplace would beryllium considered dumping, successful enactment with galore different reviews of Italian pasta since 1996, it said.

The 2 companies presented accusation incorrectly oregon withheld it, importantly impeding analysis, according to the Commerce Department. And successful the look of these alleged deficiencies, the bureau presented its 92% work estimate, which it extended to 11 different companies based connected an presumption the 2 companies’ behaviour was representative.

“After they screwed up their archetypal responses, the Commerce Department explained to them what the problems were and asked them to hole those problems; they didn’t,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai said successful an emailed effect to the AP's questions. “And past Commerce communicated the requirements again, and they didn’t reply for a 3rd time.”

La Molisana declined to remark erstwhile contacted by the AP. Garofalo didn’t respond to a petition for comment.

The sanctions would beryllium applied not conscionable to imports going forward, but besides the 12 months done June 2024, according to the Commerce Department. It added that lone 16% of full Italian pasta imports whitethorn beryllium affected. Its last determination is scheduled for Jan. 2, which could beryllium extended by 60 days.

'Completely senseless'

A small implicit an hour’s thrust northeast from Naples is Benevento, a sleepy hilltop municipality of 55,000 radical famed for its past Roman theatre and Aglianico reddish wine. It’s besides location to Pasta Rummo, founded successful 1846, which prides itself connected its seven-phase, “slow work” accumulation method.

CEO Cosimo Rummo is outraged by the menace to his company’s yearly 20 cardinal euros successful exports to the U.S.

“These tariffs are wholly senseless,” Rummo said successful a telephone interview. “These are fast-moving user goods … Who would ever bargain a battalion of pasta that costs 10 dollars, the aforesaid terms arsenic a vessel of wine?”

He added that helium has nary volition to commencement producing pasta stateside, arsenic immoderate companies person done and truthful would beryllium spared the prospective levy. That includes Barilla, which for decades has been the main Italian pasta marque successful the U.S. and present has large-scale accumulation facilities there.

An unsavory prospect

When the transatlantic imbroglio started simmering, Robert Tramonte of Arlington, Virginia sought assurances. The proprietor of The Italian Store called his supplier, who told him there’s capable pasta inventory stocked successful the warehouse to support prices dependable until Easter.

Tramonte’s clients number connected him for top-shelf merchandise and helium was relieved that, astatine slightest for the clip being, they won’t person to ammunition retired for the existent deal. Or worse -- perish the thought! -- acquisition made-in-America pasta.

“They’ve tried to marque Italian products and usage the aforesaid ingredients, but the root wasn’t Italy,” helium said. “And they conscionable didn’t sensation the same.”

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Zampano reported from Rome and Wiseman from Washington. Associated Press videojournalists Paolo Santalucia successful Rome and Tassanee Vejpongsa successful Philadelphia contributed to this report.

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