Assessment of Possible Reforms to Customs Duties on Agricultural Imports in Haiti
- The report finds Haiti's applied agricultural tariffs low compared with CARICOM and least-developed-country comparators.
- Many agricultural tariff lines are duty-free, and basic food imports often have below-average tariffs.
- Moderate tariff increases could raise customs revenue and production value, but results depend on producers' ability to respond to price incentives.
- A free-trade scenario would reduce customs revenue, while other scenarios increase revenue to different degrees.
- The report warns that tariff changes alone cannot achieve agricultural-policy goals without complementary production, marketing and food-security programs.
- Stakeholders emphasized urgent strengthening of customs administration, duty collection and import quality and safety controls.
This FAO Haiti field document evaluates possible reforms to customs duties on agricultural imports for the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development. The government was considering tariff revision as a possible tool to stimulate domestic agricultural production, increase agricultural and food exports, raise farm income and strengthen food security. The report presents Haiti's agricultural and trade-policy context, then develops an analytical framework for comparing tariff reform options. It assesses scenarios including free trade, adoption of WTO bound rates, CARICOM common external tariff levels, a uniform 20 percent tariff, higher tariffs on high-value-added products and an estimated optimal tariff.
The analysis compares possible impacts on production, production value, agricultural trade, customs revenue and food security. It emphasizes that Haiti's agricultural tariffs are low relative to CARICOM and least-developed-country comparators, with many applied agricultural tariff lines at zero. The report also warns that price incentives alone are not sufficient: domestic producers' response depends on production, marketing, infrastructure, customs administration and complementary programs. Consultations found most stakeholders believed Haiti had enough capacity, especially in food processing, to respond to moderate tariff increases. The conclusion stresses phased options, targeted food-security safeguards and quick strengthening of customs administration and import quality controls.
How to cite
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 2014, Assessment of Possible Reforms to Customs Duties on Agricultural Imports in Haiti, accessed via HaitiDocs, https://www.haitidocs.org/doc/fao-2014-reformes-droits-douane-agricoles