Brazil applies 25% tariff increase on 100 imported goods; another 100 list in the making

Wednesday, September 5th 2012 - 05:40 UTC

Full article 4 comments

The Brazilian government approved a 25% tariff increase on an additional list of 100 goods from outside Mercosur and at the same time announced the implementation of a monitoring scheme for those items’ prices in the domestic market to avoid unduly increases. Read full article

Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules

ChrisR
“What we are doing is in the framework of the WTO rules and is not protectionism”, underlined Pimentel.

I seem to remember TMBOA making the same stupid statement when she introduced similar measures in Argentina.

If it's not protectionist why have they waited until now to do it?

The point that LatAm countries continually miss is very simple: if you make good quality products at the same price as the crap that China sells you will capature the market.

The reason western countries cannot compete is the inflated fiscal drag that governments need to fund all the do-gooder prorammes, politicians pay and retirement benefits and the lazy workforce,

Seems LatAm are already there.

'Money fro nothing' as the song goes.
Sep 05th, 2012 - 01:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
British_Kirchnerist
Good measures, every country that's developed and got rich has done so with protectionism. Even the Asian Tigers
Sep 08th, 2012 - 10:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
GeoffWard2
The problem is, Chris, that the Chinese-made products are as cheap/cheaper, and at least as good, as those manufactured domestically.

Quality, quality control and tolerances need to be emplaced across the country. The Western developed world managed to fix these features in the/their Chinese industries, and the Chinese saw its value in their Japanese neighbour and its electronics and vehicle industries.
South America is 'far away' but the lessons of 'top quality at a competitive price' still need to be learned.
Sep 10th, 2012 - 05:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
ChrisR
@3

Absolutely correct.
Sep 10th, 2012 - 06:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+

Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!