Growers of Mexican tomatoes recently submitted data to the U.S. Commerce Department and groups representing them say the information shows they are not dumping tomatoes into the U.S.
Based on formulas outlined in a 1996 agreement that suspended an anti-dumping investigation, the growers are “confident” the Commerce Department will agree with their assessment, according to a news release from grower organizations in Mexico, including CAADES and AMHPAC.
“The growers are hoping that Commerce ignores continuing pressure from Florida politicians, who have consistently demanded that Commerce pre-judge this case,” according to the release.
The Commerce Department dropped the suspension agreement in early May, triggering a new anti-dumping investigation. According to the release, all previously submitted data on Mexican tomato imports was disregarded and a 135-day investigation deadline was established, an “unprecedented amount of time,” according to the release.
The growers filed their information on July 10.
Suspension agreement talks broke down, the Mexican grower groups claim, because of “unreasonable demands” from Florida tomato growers. That includes an inspection for every truck of tomatoes entering the U.S. for up to 72 hours, according to the release.
“As we have said many times, we are in favor of a new suspension agreement but it must be fair,” Rosario Beltran, president of CAADES, which represents agriculture associations in the state of Sinaloa, said in the release. “Stopping all truckloads of perishable fruit at the border is not fair and is not legal.
“We also expect a fair regulatory process and anti-dumping analysis,” Beltran said in the release.” If not, we will go to the International Trade Commission to win this case or go to the courts if we have to.”
CAADES and AMHPAC, Mexico’s protected agriculture association, were joined by Asociación de Productores de Hortalizas del Yaqui y Mayo, and Sistema Producto Tomate as authors of the release.
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