SANTIAGO, Chile, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- A 10% surcharge will take effect Tuesday on all softwood and sawn timber entering the United States, causing concern in Chile's forestry industry. The tariff will affect most of Chilean shipments.
An official with Chile's Undersecretariat for International Economic Relations told UPI that the U.S. measure will impact 97.9% of wood and wood-product exports, valued at $1.063 billion in 2024. Small and medium-sized businesses in the sector are expected to be hit hardest.
Of all Chilean exports to the United States, 7% consist of wood and wood products. The U.S. market is the second-largest destination for these shipments, accounting for 18.4%, behind only China, which receives 40.5% of Chile's exports.
"From the outset, it has been shown that Chilean shipments -- which are highly significant for our country -- represent a very small volume for the United States and do not affect its domestic supply," said the Chilean Wood Corp., or CORMA, a trade association that represents more than 160 companies.
The group argued that the products Chile exports "complement those produced in the United States, do not create unfair competition and come from sustainably managed forests that meet the highest environmental standards."
