US wine importers put all Portuguese wine orders on hold over tariff uncertainty

US wine importers have stopped taking orders of Portuguese wines because of the uncertainty of reciprocal tariffs threatened by the US government.

Paulo Amorim, president of ANCEVE, the national association of traders and exporters of wine and spirits, lamented “we are unable to sell to the US”.

“The uncertainty because of messages coming from the White House has resulted in the distribution chain in the US simply deciding to stop,” he added. And admitted: “We are facing a terrible problem and it is a huge injustice”.

Paulo Amorim gave the news after a meeting with the Minister of the Economy, and the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, together with 16 other sectorial associations, in Lisbon on Monday.

In his view Portuguese wines need a “new Porter plan” (this referring to a plan brought in 30 years ago by PSD prime minister Cavaco Silva, to promote key sectors in Portugal), bearing in mind that “wine carries the name of Portugal far and wide”.

Last week, US President Donald Trump announced the suspension of his so-called ‘reciprocal tariffs’ for 90 days, in order to allow countries to initiate negotiations. But since that announcement, so many other curved balls have joined the mix, that few (if any) know what is really going on. ND/CG/Lusa