Mexico Flaunts Tomato Rules
The florida tomato industry may be in peril because of competition from sub-par Mexican imports. The volume of cheaply grown tomatoes continues to grow which puts Florida and other U.S. growers at a disadvantage.
The ag industry embraces competition but Mexican exporters are not following the rules set down in current trade agreements. According to The Packer, “Tony DiMare, vice president of the Homestead, Fla.-based DiMare Co., one of Florida’s largest shippers, said the U.S. government is not doing a good enough job cracking down on illegally low-priced Mexican tomatoes and on shipments that are not meant for export but come to the U.S. anyway.”
Tomatoes being shipped from Mexico are coming across the border priced at levels below limits set in official agreements between the two countries, prompting charges of product dumping from Florida officials.
