US President Donald Trump has rolled back tariffs on dozens of food products, including such staples as beef, tomatoes and bananas, in the face of growing angst among American consumers about the high cost of groceries.

The new exemptions - which take effect retroactively at midnight on Thursday - mark a sharp reversal for Trump, who has long insisted that the sweeping import duties he imposed earlier this year are not fuelling inflation. Democrats have won a string of victories in state and local elections in Virginia, New Jersey and New York City, where affordability was a key topic.

The Trump administration announced framework trade deals on Thursday that, once finalised, will eliminate tariffs on certain foods and other imports from Argentina, Ecuador, Guatemala and El Salvador, with

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