The shutdown delays a decision on anti-dumping duties announced by the US government on pasta. With the reopening of federal offices – after 43 days of paralysis – the provisions of the United States Department of Commerce, which sanctioned Italian manufacturers with tariffs of 91.74%, had to be added to the large number of documents that had to be thrown away. This means that, most likely, the announced date of January 2026 when the new tariffs will come into force (aimed at all exporters of products from Italy) will be cancelled.
But this did not reassure the companies, some of whom – interviewed by Il Sole 24 Ore – announced that, once the current situation is confirmed (anti-dumping tariff of 91.7%, plus “usual” duties of 15%), they will continue to control the US market with waste reduction: which means a drastic reduction in the offer on the shelves of Stars and Stripes supermarkets.
Antidumping duties on pasta imports from Italy, in fact, will only apply to dry pasta (made from durum wheat semolina) for packages weighing less than 5.21 pounds (about 2.3 kilograms), while fresh pasta, egg pasta and organic products are excluded.
“It is impossible to maintain the market with tariffs of 107%,” said Cosimo Rummo, president and CEO of the pasta factory of the same name. This means a packet of pasta costs more than a bottle of wine, he added. «In the worst case scenario, we will remain on the market only with organic and gluten-free products, which have been subject to “only” 15% import duties since last June».
«Our distributors have told us that – at a rate of 107% – they will halve their purchases», said Claudio Costantini, general manager of Pastificio Sgambaro. “We’ll stay on the sidelines, we’ll let the market guide us, but it’s clear that we expect sales to plummet.”
