The Caricom Private Sector Organisation (CPSO) has praised the United States’ decision to eliminate tariffs on several major export categories from the region, calling the move “important relief to regional industries that had been negatively affected by the reciprocal tariffs implemented in April 2025 and updated in August 2025.”
In a statement, the CPSO said it had previously estimated that the reciprocal tariffs would cost Caricom member states US$653.6 million in annual export revenue, with the heaviest impact felt in the base metals, agriculture & food, and chemicals sectors.
CPSO Chief Executive Officer and Technical Director Dr Patrick Antoine credited the coordinated advocacy of Caricom leaders for helping secure the withdrawal of the tariffs. He highlighted the efforts of Caricom chairman and Jamaica’s Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, Guyana President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis, all of whom engaged directly with U.S. counterparts on the urgency of reversing the trade measures.
A CPSO study found that the agriculture & food and chemicals sectors stood to lose the most—an estimated US$117.7 million annually in agriculture exports and US$86.1 million in chemicals, including fertilisers and other industrial inputs.
The U.S. tariffs were reversed through an executive order issued on November 14, 2025 by President Donald Trump, undoing rates previously imposed under America First trade policies.
“Among the products now exempted from the reciprocal tariffs are ammonia and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), both essential fertilisers widely used across global agriculture, as well as methanol and selected agri-food products. Trinidad and Tobago, which is Caricom’s leading industrial and manufacturing exporter, had been the member state most affected within the chemicals sector and stands to benefit significantly from the withdrawal of the US tariffs,” the CPSO said.
The organisation noted that the U.S. remains Caricom’s main trade and economic partner, and the removal of the reciprocal tariffs is expected to strengthen bilateral trade relations. The CPSO also reminded that it had submitted detailed concerns to the U.S. Trade Representative during the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act Biennial Review in July 2025, outlining the severe consequences of the tariff regime for the region.
Commenting on the reversal, Dr Antoine said: “This decision is both timely and consequential. It reinforces the competitiveness of Trinidad and Tobago’s exports in the chemicals sector, which includes fertilisers and related downstream products. It stabilises key agricultural and agro-processing supply chains across Caricom, and provides targeted relief where it is most needed. For Jamaica, a major exporter of agricultural products to the United States, this relief comes at a critical moment as the nation’s agricultural sector requires all possible support to rebuild its production infrastructure in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.”
He continued: “This outcome demonstrates that when the community acts in a unified and coordinated manner toward a shared purpose, positive outcomes are achieved for the people of Caricom. The November 14, 2025 executive order, while reflecting US domestic priorities, also reinforces the credibility of the Caricom as a key interlocutor with the United States and highlights the importance of aligning regional positions in pursuit of common purposes.”
While the CPSO continues to analyse the effects of remaining U.S. tariffs, it said the immediate removal of several key duties means a significant share of Caricom exports will benefit right away. The organisation added that certain U.S. imports into Caricom—whose costs had increased due to higher-priced non-U.S. raw materials—are also expected to show reductions.
The CPSO said it will maintain close cooperation with Caricom leaders to push for the full elimination of remaining tariffs affecting regional exports. It reaffirmed its commitment to “supporting Caricom heads of government and the regional private sector in advancing solutions that strengthen trade facilitation, enhance competitiveness, and bolster long-term economic resilience.”
