Ceará Tariffs: State Faces 37.5% US Duties

Brazil · Trade

New US tariff package hits 96% of Ceará’s exports to America, with industrial goods bearing the brunt. Here’s what it means for investors.

Ceará US tariffs is the story. Ceará is the Brazilian Northeast state most exposed to the 2026 US tariffs, with 96% of its exports to America now facing duties. That is the finding of a study cited by O Povo on 22 July, and it puts investors on notice. Nearly all of what Ceará sells to the US — 96.5% of the affected goods — is industrial output, from steel to footwear to electrical machinery. The new charges stack up fast: a 25% tariff from 22 July, plus a further 12.5% from 23 July, bring the total to 37.5% on most goods. For a state that sends 46% of its exports to the US, this is a direct hit to its economic engine.

A container ship docks at Pecém port in Ceará, where US$ 441 million of exports to the US face new 37.5% tariffs. (Photo: Internet Reproduction)

The Impact of Ceará US Tariffs on Exports

On 15 July 2026, the US Trade Representative announced a 25% additional tariff on certain Brazilian goods under Section 301, effective 22 July. Days later, on 23 July, the US added a 12.5% tariff over labour-practices concerns, and Brazilian officials confirmed the two would combine.

That brings the total charge to 37.5% for most affected products.

Steel, aluminium and copper were already under a separate 50% tariff regime via Section 232, so they face even higher barriers. For Ceará, the numbers are stark.

A study reported by O Povo says 96% of the state’s US-bound exports are caught in the net, and 96.5% of those are industrial goods.

Valor, reporting on 1 August, puts the broader impact differently: 91.3% of Ceará’s trade with the US is affected by the surcharges, and about 42% of all the state’s exports now carry tariffs. The two studies use different baselines, but both point to severe exposure.

The risk is not uniform across the state’s economy. Industrial hubs like the Pecém complex, which sent US$ 441.3 million to the US, face the steepest climb, while agri-food exporters with exempt products can breathe easier.

Local officials are already talking to exporters about diversifying markets. But shifting trade flows takes time, and the tariffs bite from day one.

Which Export Sectors Take the Hardest Hit

Footwear tops the list. World Footwear reported on 16 July that Brazilian shoes remain fully subject to the 25% tariff, and Ceará is a major producer.

Diário do Nordeste also lists machines and electrical equipment among the most affected sectors, along with confecções (clothing).

Steel and semi-finished steel are another pillar, though they fall under the separate Section 232 rules. The Pecém industrial pole, which exported US$ 441.3 million to the US, is central to this trade.

That figure comes from Times Brasil, and it shows how concentrated the risk is.

GC Mais, on 27 July, names calçados, confecções, and máquinas e equipamentos elétricos as the most exposed segments. These are labour-intensive industries, so the tariff impact could ripple into employment, as economist Pedro Rafael warned.

Ceará’s shoe factories alone employ tens of thousands of workers, many in the Fortaleza metro area. A drop in US orders could hit those jobs hard.

The electrical machinery sector, which supplies parts for appliances and vehicles, is also tied to American supply chains. Tariffs here could push buyers to cheaper suppliers elsewhere.

What Escapes the Tariffs and the Cost to Ceará

Not everything is hit. US exemption lists include beef, coffee, orange juice, fruit, crude oil, natural gas, pharmaceuticals and civil aircraft.

For Ceará specifically, reports say mel (honey), cera de carnaúba, castanha de caju, café, petróleo and gás are outside the new charges.

Another listing adds fruit, água de coco and pescados as benefiting from exceptions. That gives some breathing room to the state’s agri-food exporters, but the industrial core remains exposed.

The direct fiscal cost is tangible. Diário do Nordeste, on 15 July, estimated the 25% tariff alone could generate about R$ 56 million (US$ 11 million) in taxes over six months on Ceará’s exports to the US.

That is the bill before the extra 12.5% is added.

For a state budget that relies on export-related revenues, that sum is not trivial. It could mean less money for public projects or social programmes.

Why Investors Should Care About Ceará

If you hold assets in Brazil, or trade with the Northeast, this is a warning light. Ceará is not a peripheral case — it is the most exposed state in the region, and near the top nationally.

The 46% export share to the US means any slowdown in American demand hits Fortaleza’s port and the Pecém complex directly.

For foreign investors, the tariff stack raises costs on Brazilian industrial goods, making Ceará’s exports less competitive. But the exemptions for honey, cashews and oil show a mixed picture.

The state’s diversified basket means some sectors will suffer, while others may actually benefit from US demand for exempt goods.

Watch the next six months. If Ceará’s industrial exports to the US drop sharply, expect ripple effects in employment and local GDP.

For now, the 37.5% tariff on shoes, steel and machinery is the new reality.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: Federation of Industries of Ceará; Diário do Nordeste; Reuters