EU: Countermeasures on US Nuts and Dried Fruits Suspended; Work on Trade Agreement to Continue
On February 5, 2026, the European Commission adopted an implementing regulation extending the suspension of EU countermeasures on a wide range of US imports, including nuts and dried fruits, until August 6, 2026. Originally imposed in July 2025 in response to US tariffs, the countermeasures were first suspended after a bilateral agreement in August 2025. The extension follows the withdrawal of a US tariff threat linked to Greenland in January 2026.
In parallel, a key committee of the European Parliament agreed to move forward with the EU-US trade deal. Bernd Lange, chair of the Parliament’s International Trade Committee and standing rapporteur for the US, announced on February 4 that the committee had voted to resume work on the two legislative proposals that include the trade deal, paving the way for a possible committee vote on February 24.
India-USA: Tree Nuts and Processed Fruits to Enjoy Greater Market Access Under Trade Deal
According to a joint statement released on February 6, 2026, India and the United States have agreed on an interim framework to boost trade while they negotiate a full bilateral trade agreement.
According to the statement, under this deal:
- India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including tree nuts and processed fruit.
- The US will apply an 18% tariff on many Indian goods, with the possibility of removing this tariff if the interim agreement is successfully concluded.
- The US and India commit to provide each other preferential market access in sectors of respective interest on a sustained basis.
- The US and India will establish rules of origin that ensure that the benefits of the agreement accrue predominately to the United States and India.
- India agrees to address long-standing non-tariff barriers to the trade in US food and agricultural products.
The Indian government subsequently clarified that India will phase out tariffs on agricultural inputs for its food processing industry over a 10-year period, allowing domestic stakeholders time to adjust, as reported by the Economic Times. According to the same report, the Indian exports that will gain zero-duty access to the US market will include “nuts such as areca, Brazil, cashew and chestnuts,” while Indian peanuts will be classified as a sensitive sector and remain fully protected under an exemption category. Other products, including in-shell almonds, walnuts and pistachios, will be liberalized only through tariff rate quotas.
Kenya: Macadamia Harvesting and Trading Window Reopened
Kenya’s Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has announced the reopening of the seasonal harvesting and trading window for domestically produced macadamias. The window had been closed since December 1, 2025.
During the closure, AFA conducted targeted maturity surveillance across major macadamia-growing areas. Maturity levels varied across agro-ecological zones: nuts in lower-altitude coffee-growing areas had largely reached physiological maturity, while those in higher-altitude tea-growing zones remained mostly immature. Maturity also varied by cultivar, with some varieties ready for harvest earlier than others. In view of these findings, AFA officially re-opened harvesting and trading of macadamias, effective February 1, 2026, while urging farmers to harvest only mature nuts.
Türkiye: Increase in Tariffs and Taxes on Imported Walnuts and Almonds
The Turkish government has raised the tariff on imported walnuts from 15% to 20%, effective February 1, 2026, according to a recent GAIN Report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In addition to this increase in the customs duty, Türkiye also increased the additional financial responsibility tax (AFRT) charged on imported walnuts (both in-shell and shelled) and almonds (shelled), also effective February 1.
| New Customs Rate and Additional Financial Responsibility Tax (AFRT) | ||||
| 2025 | 2026 | |||
| Product | Customs duty | AFRT (US$ per metric ton) | Customs duty | AFRT (US$ per metric ton) |
| Shelled walnuts | 15% | 1,099 | 20% | 1,158 |
| In-shell walnuts | 15% | 416 | 20% | 451 |
| Shelled almonds | 15% | 942 | 15% | 1,110 |
| In-shell almonds | 15% | 580 | 15% | 580 |
USA: Executive Order Establishes Framework for Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran
On February 6, 2026, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a mechanism for placing tariffs on imports from countries that trade with Iran. The move follows Trump’s January 12 statement that countries doing business with Iran would face a 25% tariff “effective immediately.” The order does not identify specific countries or set tariff rates, but instead authorizes US agencies to develop and implement such measures. Any further action would require the publication of additional rules, guidance, and a list of affected countries.
USA: Reciprocal Trade Agreements Signed With El Salvador and Guatemala
The US has formalized reciprocal trade agreements with El Salvador and Guatemala. The US–El Salvador agreement was signed on January 29, 2026, followed by the US–Guatemala agreement on January 30, establishing frameworks for bilateral trade.