Effective May 7, the United States will withdraw from a “suspension agreement” with Mexico over imports of fresh tomatoes so Washington can consider complaints of tomato dumping, said the Commerce Department on Thursday. The Florida Tomato Exchange asked the Trump administration last November to resume an investigation of whether tomatoes were being sold at less than fair value.
“We have heard the concerns of the American tomato producing industry and are taking action today to ensure they are protected from unfair trading practices,” said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in a statement. After May 7, the department will resume its investigation of an antidumping complaint, the first step toward potential application of antidumping duties.
The two countries agreed in 2013 to suspend an antidumping complaint if Mexican growers accepted restrictions, said Politico. In a letter last week, four dozen senators and representatives said Mexico now holds 54 percent of the U.S. tomato market, compared to 32 percent when the agreement took effect.
Withdrawal from the agreement “comes as the White House is trying to shore up support in Congress for approving the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement,” said Politico, noting that Florida is “a state important to President Trump’s re-election hopes.”