Coca-Cola, Tesla and eBay ask US to drop 25% tariff on Brazilian citrus imports

The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced a proposal to impose a 25% tariff on certain Brazilian products under Section 301. Coca‑Cola, Tesla and eBay submitted formal comments urging the agency to keep Brazilian orange and lemon inputs exempt or to grant a transition period.

The companies argue that the tariff would raise production costs, force costly supplier switches, delay logistics and ultimately raise prices for U.S. consumers. Coca‑Cola stresses that Brazilian citrus supplies have become essential as Florida’s orange harvest has fallen from about 242 million boxes in 2003‑04 to roughly 12 million boxes in the 2025‑26 season. Tesla adds that some components it sources from Brazil are not yet producible at scale in the United States, threatening its supply‑chain resilience.

All three firms contend that the measure would harm both American manufacturers and Brazilian exporters, and they ask the USTR to reconsider the tariff or apply a phased exemption for the affected ingredients.