Brazilian pig iron, included in the list of exemptions from the US import tariffs in November 2025, was not included in a new list, announced by the US Trade Representative (USTR) on June 1.
With the exclusion, Brazilian pig iron will be subject to a 25 percent import tariff in the US, raising concerns by the federation of the industries of the state of Minas Gerais (Fiemg) about the future of the sector.
According to numbers from the foreign trade secretariat of the ministry of development, industry and foreign trade (Secex), in 2025 the state of Minas Gerais exported 2.47 million metric tons (mt) of pig iron to the US, worth $1.01 billion.
During the first four months of 2026, the numbers were 644,700 mt, worth $258 million.
In a statement, Fiemg said the 25 percent import tariff has created uncertainty for local producers, especially in Sete Lagoas, the state’s main pig iron exporting city, where 85 percent of production is shipped to the US.
Independent Brazilian pig iron producers also operate plants in Espírito Santo, in the Southeast, Pará, in the North, and Maranhão, in the Northeast.
According to the local press, Brazilian authorities are negotiating with the USTR to avoid the exclusion of pig iron from the list of tariff exemptions.
