NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A 10 percent export tariff imposed by the United States on goods from The Bahamas is “unfortunate,” says a leading Bahamian rum producer, but will not affect current sales to the U.S. in the short term.
Pepin Argamasilla, co-founder of John Watling’s Distillery, told Eyewitness News that the company recently completed a major shipment to the United States, which will sustain operations as the tariff situation evolves.
“While the 10 percent export tariff is certainly unfortunate, it does not impact our current sales to the United States,” said Argamasilla. “We recently shipped an order to the U.S., which should carry us through until the tariff situation is—hopefully—resolved.”
While the new U.S. trade measure is not yet affecting outgoing shipments, Argamasilla noted the greater concern lies in the cost of importing goods into The Bahamas—particularly from the U.S. and third-party countries.
“A 10 percent tariff on those goods will undoubtedly raise the cost of doing business for everyone in The Bahamas,” he said.
In October 2023, the distillery announced that it had signed a distribution deal with U.S. alcohol retail giant Total Wine & More to help establish the company’s presence on American shelves.
The new tariffs, which came into effect on April 5, impose a 10 percent base rate on goods imported into the U.S. from more than 100 countries, including The Bahamas. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that tariffs for most countries would be paused for 90 days. However, this pause does not apply to China, which has been subjected to 84 percent tariff hikes. As a result, U.S. duties on Chinese goods have been increased to 125 percent, effective immediately.
