Industry body South Africa Wine said its interpretation of the announcement indicates the tariff will apply to all South African wine entering the US between 24 February and 24 July 2026 — a period of 150 days.
The White House proclamation issued on 20 February confirms a temporary 10% ad valorem import surcharge on goods entering the United States, effective during that period, unless extended by Congress.
South Africa Wine noted that while the White House initially referenced a 10% tariff, Trump later stated on social media that the global tariff rate under the same legal provision could be increased to 15%. At the time of its notice, no formal executive order had confirmed an increase beyond 10%.
According to the White House proclamation, the surcharge was introduced in response to what it described as “large and serious United States balance-of-payments deficits”.
The proclamation states: "I impose, for a period of 150 days, a temporary import surcharge of 10 percent ad valorem… on articles imported into the United States, effective February 24, 2026."
The measure was implemented under Section 122 of the US Trade Act of 1974, which allows temporary import restrictions to address international payments imbalances.
Wine is not listed among the exempt product categories, which include certain minerals, energy products, pharmaceuticals, and some agricultural goods such as beef and oranges.
South Africa Wine has advised exporters to engage with US importers, distributors and customs brokers to assess shipment timing, pricing and contract implications.
Exporters are also encouraged to review inventory planning and customs entry strategies during the tariff period.
The organisation said the US Harmonised Tariff Schedule will need to be formally updated before the measure is fully operational, and confirmed it is monitoring developments.
“This appears to be a temporary trade measure under specific US statutory authority that allows tariffs of up to 15% for up to 150 days to address trade imbalances,” South Africa Wine said.
The tariff is expected to remain in place until 24 July 2026 unless extended by US lawmakers.
South Africa Wine said it is engaging with stakeholders and will provide updates once formal legal and administrative processes are finalised.
The United States is one of the key export markets for South African wine, and the temporary tariff could affect pricing competitiveness and export volumes during the period.
