U.S. tariffs hit italian pasta: industry considers moving production abroad

Italian pasta makers are facing one of the toughest trade blows in years. Following the 107% import tariffs imposed by the United States — among the highest ever applied to Made in Italy goods — companies such as La Molisana are weighing options that include opening factories in the U.S. or shifting toward organic production, which remains exempt from duties. The move could reshape Italy’s €5 billion pasta export market and trigger economic fallout across the sector.

The new tariffs stem from a U.S. anti-dumping investigation that accuses Italian producers of unfairly low export prices. Over ten major pasta companies are affected, threatening a segment that sends 60% of its output abroad, with the U.S. as the second-largest market after Germany.

At the center of the controversy is La Molisana, hit with a 91% rate after U.S. authorities claimed the firm failed to cooperate fully — an accusation CEO Giuseppe Ferro firmly rejects. “In the first investigation, we had zero. Then 1.6%. Now suddenly 91%, without calculation or fairness,” Ferro said, warning that with duties at 107%, “it’s impossible to operate.”

In response, the Italian government has launched crisis meetings and technical discussions, led by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, to coordinate a national and European strategy. From Brussels, EU trade spokesperson Olof Gill confirmed that the European Commission is working closely with Rome and “will intervene if necessary.”

Meanwhile, domestic political criticism is mounting. Opposition leaders accuse Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government of inaction toward what they call an “attack” on one of Italy’s most iconic products. “Trump’s tariffs are killing Italian pasta,” said Angelo Bonelli of the Greens-Left Alliance, while +Europa’s Riccardo Magi urged Meloni to issue a formal protest against “a hostile act toward a symbol of Italian food excellence.”

As pressure builds, the industry braces for impact — and for some producers, the unthinkable prospect of leaving Italy to keep Italian pasta on American tables.