Trump bans duty-free import of some products from India, Pakistan, Egypt and more

Muscat: Indian mangoes could soon be a lot more expensive in the U.S. after the Trump administration revoked duty-free concessions on the import of 50 Indian products including the highly popular fruit.
The decision, enforced on Thursday following a proclamation by President Donald Trump, targets products from India, Pakistan, Turkey, and Brazil among other countries.
Trump signed a notification revoking Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) benefits on Tuesday. GSP is the oldest and largest U.S. trade preference programme, designed to promote trade with developing countries and boost economic development.
Trump’s statement read, "Pursuant to section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974 Act, I have determined that in 2017 certain beneficiary developing countries exported eligible articles in quantities exceeding the applicable competitive need limitations. I hereby terminate the duty-free treatment for such articles from such beneficiary developing countries."
The long list of items denied GSP status includes cucumbers, sandstone, and musical keyboards from India.
Other prominent Indian products removed from the GSP list include dried pigeon pea seeds, groats and meal of rice, full grain unsplit and grain split whole buffalo leather, dyed and plain weave certified hand-loomed fabrics of cotton containing 85 per cent or more cotton by weight, in addition to hand-loomed carpet and other textile floor coverings.
They were joined by tomatoes and cherry juice from Turkey, durian from Thailand and smoking pipes from Egypt. Additionally, pears, sunflower oil, and apples were also denied GSP status.