KKP: Indonesian seaweed and agar-agar exempt from additional US tariffs

Indonesia has an opportunity to expand its seaweed and agar-agar market in the United States after these products were granted an exemption from the additional 10 percent Section 301 tariff.

Acting Director General for Strengthening the Competitiveness of Marine and Fisheries Products Erwin Dwiyana said Indonesian seaweed and agar-agar are only subject to a most-favoured-nation (MFN) tariff of zero percent.

“Alhamdulillah, Indonesian agar-agar and seaweed/algae products have obtained an exemption from the additional Section 301 tariff, so they are only subject to the most-favoured-nation (MFN) tariff,” Erwin said in a written statement in Jakarta on Friday.

This tariff advantage is considered to open opportunities for Indonesian seaweed and agar-agar products to improve their competitiveness in the US market.

The provisions regarding the exemption are set out in a Notice of Actions issued by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on 23 July 2026 and published in the Federal Register on 28 July 2026.

The policy is the final decision on a US trade investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 concerning the imposition and enforcement of import bans on goods produced with forced labour against 60 countries/economies.

The USTR imposed an additional Section 301 tariff of 10 percent on goods originating from Indonesia effective from 24 July 2026.