L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 14 L'Italo-Americano I talian pasta makers are once again at the c e n t e r o f a t r a d e storm with Washing- ton, as the US Depart- ment of Commerce issued a preliminary decision impos- ing anti-dumping duties as high as 91.74 percent on cer- tain dry pasta imported from Italy. When added to the 15 percent flat tariff the United S t a t e s r e c e n t l y p l a c e d o n most goods from the Euro- pean Union, the total duty could exceed 107 percent once the measure takes effect, likely in January 2026. What began as a routine review quickly turned into a dispute involving courts, ministries, and the European Commis- sion, and could make a box of Italian pasta in the US twice as expensive as it is today. The new tariff comes from the latest review in a long- running anti-dumping c a s e f i r s t o p e n e d i n t h e 1990s. Every few years, the Commerce Department re- e x a m i n e s w h e t h e r I t a l i a n exporters have sold pasta in the US below "normal value." This time, officials concluded t h a t s e v e r a l p r o d u c e r s , i n c l u d i n g L a M o l i s a n a , R u m m o , and G a r o f a l o , had underpriced shipments during the 2023–2024 peri- od. The Department's prelim- inary findings were published in the Federal Register, leav- ing companies until the end of the year to present evi- dence before final rates are set. The separate 15 percent charge on all EU goods, as most of us remember, stems f r o m t h e b r o a d e r U S - E U trade framework signed last August. For Italian producers, the combination is potentially devastating: La Molisana's chief executive, Giuseppe Ferro, told Italian media that no business could survive under a duty of this size; he said the company is consider- ing legal action in Washing- ton and, as a fallback, the pos- s i b i l i t y o f o p e n i n g a U S production site to remain in the market. Rummo's head, Cosimo Rummo, described the Commerce Department's calculation as "folly," arguing that his company never sold below cost and that the find- ings reflect a misunderstand- ing of how value is measured in Italy's food industry. Both firms have hired legal counsel in the US and are expected to challenge the decision at the Court of International Trade if it becomes final. Italy's Foreign Min- istry reacted swiftly, too, cre- ating a dedicated task force to coordinate with the Euro- pean Commission and the country's trade associations; R o m e a s k e d B r u s s e l s t o e x a m i n e w h e t h e r t h e U S move breaches World Trade Organization rules and to prepare retaliatory options should talks fail. The Com- mission has so far expressed support for Italy's approach, saying that the duties are dis- p r o p o r t i o n a t e a n d r i s k inflaming a trade relationship t h a t h a d b e e n i m p r o v i n g since the suspension of earli- er tariffs on wine, cheese, and aircraft parts. Farming orga- nization Coldiretti called the measure "a mortal blow" f o r o n e o f I t a l y ' s m o s t emblematic exports. T h e U n i t e d S t a t e s i s Italy's third-largest pasta market after Germany and t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m . I n 2024, Italy exported roughly $872 million worth of pasta to the US, out of a total global value of about $4.36 billion. Industry data show that pre- mium labels such as Rummo, La Molisana, and Garofalo have grown steadily in Amer- ican supermarkets over the past decade, driven by Ital- ian-American consumers and a broader interest in authen- tic Mediterranean products. For these brands, the US rep- resents not just sales but visi- bility and prestige: losing access or being priced out would have long-term effects on reputation and market share. Some Italian producers, however, are partially shield- ed: Barilla, the country's largest pasta group, operates multiple factories in Iowa and New York, allowing it to serve the US market without i m p o r t i n g f r o m E u r o p e . Other firms may try to follow that model, although building a plant abroad involves costs and compromises that many family-owned producers can- not easily bear. The likely outcome, according to trade observers quoted by Reuters and the Financial Times, is that companies with higher- e n d r a n g e s w i l l f a c e t h e g r e a t e s t p r e s s u r e , w h i l e lower-priced or locally made pastas will fill the shelves. A m e r i c a n c o n s u m e r s w o u l d n o t i c e t h e c h a n g e a l m o s t i m m e d i a t e l y : i m p o r t e r s a n d r e t a i l e r s warned that if the duties take effect at their current level, shelf prices for Italian pasta could double. Restaurants relying on imported brands would face the same squeeze, a n d s p e c i a l t y s t o r e s t h a t carry artisanal or regional lines from Italy might simply stop ordering them, while larger chains would likely promote domestic alterna- tives. For shoppers used to f i n d i n g L a M o l i s a n a o r R u m m o a t o n l y a m o d e s t p r e m i u m , t h e d i f f e r e n c e c o u l d b e s t r i k i n g . T r a d e g r o u p s i n b o t h c o u n t r i e s argue that the measure pun- ishes not only Italian produc- ers but also American distrib- utors and grocers who have built their businesses around authentic imported pasta, as well as, of course, customers. N e g o t i a t i o n s c o n t i n u e behind the scenes, with Ital- ian officials hoping that the Commerce Department will revise the dumping margins before issuing its final deci- sion later this year. In reality, such adjustments are com- mon: in previous reviews, f i n a l d u t i e s w e r e o f t e n reduced after verification of cost data, but expectations remain cautious. Rome is also counting on diplomatic engagement through the EU- US trade framework to seek exemptions or compensa- tions. Brussels, for its part, hinted that it could contest the case at the WTO if no compromise is reached. Whatever the outcome, the episode underlines how easi- l y i c o n i c p r o d u c t s c a n become collateral damage in larger trade tensions; pasta is hardly a strategic commodity, yet it carries symbolic weight for Italy and cultural mean- ing among millions of Italian- Americans. For consumers, the dispute may seem techni- cal, as based as it is on per- centages, margins, and regu- l a t o r y a c r o n y m s , b u t i t s effects could soon be felt in the most everyday of rituals: cooking dinner. I f t h e d u t i e s r e m a i n a t their proposed levels, a box of Rummo or La Molisana could b e c o m e a l u x u r y i t e m i n American kitchens, and the debate over fair trade may find its most tangible expres- sion in a plate of spaghetti. CHIARA D'ALESSIO US "super-tariffs" on Italian pasta: what they mean for Italian producers and for Americans who love real pasta If not retracted, tariffs on imported Italian pasta could reach 107% in January 2026 (Image created with DALL-E 2) NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS

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