US to Impose Over 20% Tariffs on Mexican Tomato Imports, Citing “Unfair Pricing”

The United States will begin imposing tariffs exceeding 20% on the majority of tomato imports from Mexico, citing “unfairly priced” shipments that are allegedly harming American growers, as per Bloomberg.

The Department of Commerce announced the decision on Monday, stating that a current trade agreement with Mexico for tomatoes has failed to adequately protect US producers.

The tariffs, specifically an anti-dumping duty of 20.91%, will be applied to most shipments of Mexican tomatoes, effective July 14th. Anti-dumping duties are typically implemented following a government investigation that determines products are being sold in the US market at unfairly low prices, a practice known as dumping. These duties differ from the broader tariffs employed in President Donald Trump’s trade war.

Mexico is the largest source of American farm imports, supplying the US with significant quantities of tomatoes, fresh berries, and other vegetables. The move is likely to impact the availability and price of tomatoes for US consumers.

The decision to impose tariffs on Mexican tomatoes comes at a time when the US, traditionally an agricultural powerhouse, is increasingly reliant on food imports. In recent years, the value of these imports has surpassed exports of key crops such as corn, soybeans, and wheat.