UPDATE 1-Half of Dutch cheese exports to be hit by US trade tariffs - government

Roughly half of the Dutch cheese exports to the United States will be affected by a 25% tariff Washington has threatened to slap on European food products, the Dutch Trade Ministry said on Friday.

The Netherlands, the world's second-largest agricultural exporter after the United States, exported 80 million euros ($88 million) worth of cheese to the United States last year. Around 39 million euros worth of cheese destined for U.S. markets will fall under the new 25% tariff set to be implemented on Oct. 18, the ministry said in a statement.

Other countries have also complained that their cheese exports would be hurt. On Wednesday the World Trade Organization awarded Washington the right to impose tariffs on $7.5 billion worth of EU goods annually in a long-running case, threatening to ignite a tit-for-tat transatlantic trade war.

The United States on Wednesday said it would slap 10% tariffs on European-made Airbus planes and 25% duties on French wine, Scotch and Irish whiskies, and cheese from across the continent as punishment for illegal EU aircraft subsidies.

Also Read: Rugby-United States team to play France at the World Cup