China approves 183 Brazilian coffee exporters on same day as Trump tariff hike

China has announced the approval of 183 new Brazilian coffee companies for export to the Chinese market, in a decision made by the General Administration of Customs.

According to a social media post by the Chinese Embassy in Brazil, shared by Brazil’s Agriculture Minister Carlos Fávaro, the measure took effect last Wednesday (July 30) and will remain valid for five years.

Also on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing a 50% tariff on Brazilian coffee imports — Brazil supplies about one-third of the 25 million bags of coffee consumed annually in the United States.

Brazil shipped only 538,000 bags to China in the first six months of this year, according to the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council (Cecafé). However, agreements signed with the Chinese coffee chain Luckin indicate growing momentum.

In June last year, in Beijing, the chain signed a deal with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) to purchase 120,000 tonnes of Brazilian coffee by 2029. In November, in Brasília, the two parties doubled that commitment to 240,000 tonnes.

The rise of chains like Luckin — which has surpassed U.S.-based Starbucks in China — has been accompanied by a rise in per capita coffee consumption in the country, climbing from 16.7 cups per year in 2023 to 22.22 in 2024. This year’s forecast is around 30 cups. The global average is approximately 150 cups per year, suggesting significant room for growth.

Here is a historical overview of Brazilian coffee bean exports via containers to China starting from January 2022. The chart was prepared using DataLiner data:

Brazilian Coffee Bean Exports to China – Jan 2022 to May 2025 – TEU

Source: DataLiner (Click here to request a demo)

In addition to coffee, the General Administration of Customs has also approved 30 Brazilian companies to export sesame and 46 to export poultry and pork meal, all of which take effect as of Wednesday (30th).

On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, responding to U.S. tariff threats against Brazil, stated that “China is willing to work with Brazil, other Latin American countries, and BRICS partners to defend the multilateral trading system centered on the WTO [World Trade Organization] and safeguard international fairness.”

Source: Valor Econômico

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