Santiago — SalmonChile president Patricio Melero has called it “unacceptable” that any bilateral agreement between Chile and the United States would leave Chilean salmon subject to a new 12.5% tariff.

The tariff, imposed in July under a wider US Section 301 action covering countries accused of failing to enforce forced-labour import bans, was not prompted by allegations against Chilean salmon production itself. The measure covers 60 trading partners with tariffs of 10% or 12.5%.

SalmonChile argues salmon should be carved out because the US lacks comparable domestic farmed production. Chile supplies more than 40% of the salmon consumed in the United States, making the tariff particularly significant for producers including AquaChile, Multi X, and Salmones Camanchaca.

“We have stated clearly that a bilateral agreement which does not contemplate an exemption for our salmon would be unacceptable,” Melero said. Negotiations between Chilean trade officials and the US Trade Representative are continuing remotely after talks in Santiago in August ended without agreement.