Switching fresh produce sourcing from Peru to Bolivia

Sourcing fresh produce is now a tariff decision as much as a supplier decision. At 17.5%, Peru sits well above Bolivia's 5%; on $100,000 of annual buying that difference is around $13,188. Where a competitor's margin erodes on the same tariff, a buyer who re-sources keeps the difference. What follows is the layer-by-layer comparison, the trade context behind each rate, and how the gap grows with volume.

How the tariff stacks compare

Start with the two duty stacks side by side. A Peru origin attracts a 5% Most-Favoured-Nation base duty and a 12.5% forced-labor Section 301 duty on its fresh produce, an effective 17.5% once the $49.74 in processing fees are added. On the Bolivia side, Customs applies a 5% Most-Favoured-Nation base duty on its fresh produce, an effective 5% once the $49.74 in processing fees are added. Because the MPF and HMF ($49.74 combined) track customs value rather than origin, they wash out of the comparison entirely. The per-shipment gap comes to $1,318.75 on $10,000 of goods — a clean read on the 12.5% rate difference. That same per-dollar gap is about $3,297 on a $25,000 order and $13,188 on $100,000 of annual volume. Per $25,000 order, $3,297 separates the two origins — small per shipment, compounding fast across a program.

Trade context

Fresh Produce (HTS 07, 08) covers items such as Avocados, Tomatoes, Blueberries, Garlic, Mangoes, Bananas, and Bell peppers. Demand for fresh produce is broad and price-sensitive, which is exactly why a duty wedge of this size reshapes who can supply the US market competitively. For budgeting purposes: fresh produce tariffs directly increase grocery prices; Section 122 carried an agricultural carve-out to avoid food price spikes before the surcharge itself lapsed to 0% sitewide on July 24, 2026. Peru, in South America, ships the US mainly copper products, precious metals jewelry, and fresh produce. Absent a trade deal, Peru's fresh produce is assessed standard duties and whatever surcharges apply. Bolivia (South America) sends the United States largely natural gas lng, crude oil petroleum, and food. With no preferential deal in force, Bolivia fresh produce faces the standard rates plus any applicable surcharge. Because both sit in South America, a switch barely changes the freight picture and mostly changes the duty bill. Bolivia clears this category at a structurally lower rate than Peru, an edge that persists across order cycles rather than a spot-price blip. Because surcharges have stacked rates well above their statutory base, country of origin has become a first-order cost driver for fresh produce rather than a footnote.

Recommendation

Anchor your own volume to these tiers: $6,594 at $50,000, $32,969 at $250,000, $131,875 at $1,000,000, and about $13,188 at $100,000. Every figure is produced by the same tariff engine behind the site's calculators, holding FOB value, freight and insurance constant so only the duty effect of origin shows through. These figures reflect tariff and fee savings only, assuming equal product cost — your actual landed cost also depends on price and freight, which vary by supplier. Read the $13,188 as a transition budget — if re-sourcing to Bolivia costs less than the annual saving, it pays back inside a year. Diligence on Bolivia is commercial, not regulatory: supplier capacity, MOQ, tooling and re-qualification cost — the duty advantage itself is already settled above. Lock the comparison to a quote date; a surcharge added or lifted can change the ranking between negotiation and purchase order. Use the Tariff Savings Finder to test your real numbers and see alternatives beyond Bolivia.