top of page

Trinidad and Tobago

US Revised Tariffs (%)

15

Ease of doing business

theboardiQ Tariffs Dashboard:

Powering Mutually Beneficial Global Trade.

 

Understand the complexities of international tariffs and ease of doing business across nations to cultivate balanced trade relationships, streamline operations, and deliver cost savings to end consumers.

david-whipple-mU-wz7JlJMc-unsplash_Ravid.jpg
Revised Tariff %
Original Tariff %
Country Tariff Rate %
Share of US Imports % (1 implies <1%)
15
10
7.5
1
Exports (in USD Bill.) 2024
Imports (in USD Bill.) 2024
Balance (in USD Bill.) 2024
2.94
3.33
-0.39

Implications

The US trade policy has been updated to include a 15% reciprocal tariff on most goods imported from Trinidad and Tobago, which is a higher rate than that applied to many other Caribbean nations.


Here is the update on US Tariffs and Agreements related to Trinidad and Tobago as of October 2025:

Area

Status (October 2025)

Key Details

US Reciprocal Tariff Rate

15% Implemented

Effective August 7, 2025, the US imposed a 15% reciprocal tariff on most imports from Trinidad and Tobago. This is an increase from the 10% baseline rate initially applied in April 2025.

Key Products Impacted

Ammonia, Methanol, and Manufactured Goods

The tariff targets key non-energy exports. The CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO) warned that Trinidad and Tobago could face the most significant export revenue loss in the CARICOM region.

Exemptions

Crude Oil & Natural Gas

Energy products like crude oil and natural gas appear to be exempted from the new reciprocal tariff rate.

Trade Agreements/Initiatives

Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) Benefit Loss

The new tariffs replace the previous status, under which Trinidad and Tobago (and other CARICOM members) often benefited from duty-free access to the US market under the CBI.

Bilateral Deal/Negotiations

Gas Deal with Venezuela Permitted

The US Treasury Department recently granted Trinidad and Tobago an Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) license to negotiate a gas deal with neighboring Venezuela without facing US sanctions. This is a separate, significant bilateral action in the energy sector.



Impact on Companies and Sectors:


  • Manufacturing Sector: The 15% tariff poses a direct threat to the manufacturing sector, which includes food, beverages, cosmetics, and chemical products. The increased cost of entry to its primary trading partner market is expected to impact competitiveness and could lead to significant export revenue loss.

  • Energy Sector (Chemicals): Key chemical exports, such as Ammonia and Methanol, are specifically targeted by the 15% reciprocal tariff.

  • Energy Sector (Gas): The energy sector has a positive development with the OFAC license permitting the government to negotiate the Dragon Gas Project with Venezuela. This action is separate from the general reciprocal tariffs and is seen as a strategic US foreign policy and energy security measure.

  • Small Businesses: The end of the global de minimis exemption (effective August 29, 2025), which previously allowed packages under a certain value to enter the US duty-free, means that small-scale manufacturers and exporters in Trinidad and Tobago now face the full 15% tariff on all shipments, increasing their cost burden.

US Revised Tariffs

Country Tariffs

Balance of Trade

Commercial Guide

Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in countries, prepared by U.S. Embassies worldwide, Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals

Tariff Rate for US

World Bank staff estimates using the World Integrated Trade Solution system, based on tariff data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's Trade Analysis and Information System ( TRAINS ) database and global imports data from the United Nations Statistics Division's Comtrade database.

US Imports Guide 

United States Imports from Countries during 2024, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. United States Imports from Countries- data, historical chart and statistics - was last updated on April of 2025.

Investing in USA

theboardiQ Economic Relevance Score, ranks States of USA based on 11 parameters

Sources : ForbesUSDA Economic Research | TCGen Total Innovation Rank Index | Best States for Manufacturing | World Population Review | Tax Foundation | US News | BEA Data | Wikipedia International Trade Administration

theboardiQ's Economic Relevance Score provides a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of a nation's economic vitality and global significance. This score is meticulously calculated using 11 key parameters, each reflecting a critical facet of economic performance. It analyzes the representation of Fortune 500 companies within a nation, a strong indicator of its business environment and market size. The balance of trade surplus or deficit reveals the nation's international competitiveness and export strength. It incorporates Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a fundamental measure of overall economic output, and examine the health of key sectors like agriculture and manufacturing. The score also accounts for innovation, gauging a nation's ability to drive future growth through technological advancements. Crucial labor market indicators such as employment rates are considered, alongside fiscal policies reflected in tax rates. To capture the lived experience of citizens, it assesses cost of living and disposable income, providing insight into purchasing power and economic well-being. Finally, education levels are integrated, recognizing their pivotal role in fostering a skilled workforce and driving long-term economic development. By synthesizing these 11 parameters, theboardiQ's Economic Relevance Score delivers a nuanced and holistic view of a nation's economic standing, enabling informed strategic decisions. The Top 5 States in the assessment are Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Washington. Texas does consistently well across most of the 11 variables especially in the areas of GDP, F500 representation in the State, Balance of Trade where it ranks 2nd nationally. North Carolina scores as the highest-ranking state nationally in manufacturing and performs consistently across the other variables. Virginia does well in disposable income where it ranks 3rd nationally. It also scores high in the variables of manufacturing and employment Florida holds the 4th ranking nationally for GDP and Tax Washington State scores the top spot for disposable income nationally, 2nd for education and 3rd for innovation. Colorado, with an overall rank of 7 scores the top spot for Education (schools and higher education). Nebraska, that ranked 10th overall, did well in Agriculture where it is ranked 3rd nationally as well as Trade Balance where it ranked 5th. Illinois, though ranked 20th overall did well nationally in F500 representation, GDP, Agriculture, and Disposable Income. Pennsylvania comes in at 21 overall doing well nationally in GDP (6th); Manufacturing (8th) and F500 representation (8th) New York scores 23rd overall with a 2 ranking in Disposable Income nationally, as well as 3rd in both F500 representation and GDP. California comes in at 29th overall and has the top spot ranking in a whopping 4 variables nationally – GDP, Innovation, Agriculture and F500 representation. However, performance in the areas of Trade Balance, Cost of Living, Tax, Manufacturing and Employment resulted in the overall ranking dipping. Wyoming at 30th overall scores the top spot nationally in the area of Tax Massachusetts at 31 overall does well in innovation where it is ranked 2nd nationally Arkansas at 36 and Alabama at 39, do well in overall Cost of Living where they are ranked 2nd and 3rd nationally, respectively. Louisiana ranked 44th overall is ranked 1st in Trade Balance nationally.

theboardiQ Logo

Economic
Relevance
Ranking

Get Great Talent. Subscribe.

Thanks for subscribing!

265 Garnet Dr 

Livermore, CA 94550

  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • X
  • Facebook
bottom of page