U.S. Anti-Dumping Duties on Mexican Tomatoes

On July 26, 2019, the U.S. Commerce Department set a preliminary anti-dumping duty of 25.28 percent on imports of close to $2 billion worth of Mexican tomatoes. The action came as the department is engaged in talks with Mexican growers on a new agreement that would suspend the duties in exchange for voluntary restrictions on the tomato trade.  The Department has also proposed 100 percent inspections of incoming shipments of imported tomatoes from Mexico.

Mexican tomato growers, unhappy with the U.S.’s actions, are now calling on the Mexican government to begin inspecting all imports of U.S. farm goods. Mexican Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Victor Villalobos has raised the possibility of increasing inspections of U.S. agricultural products entering Mexico unless the U.S. drops it’s  proposal requiring inspections of all Mexican tomatoes coming into the United States.

The U.S.  Department of Commerce is expected to issue its final anti-dumping duty determination by Sept. 19 unless the two sides have agreed on a new suspension agreement.