Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico. — With over a dozen trips to Washington, D.C., in the last two months, the national delegation defending the exportation of Mexican tomatoes, represented by Martin Ley from Del Campo Supreme; Rosario Beltran and Mario Haroldo Robles from CAADES; Manuel Valladolid from Consejo Agricola de Baja California; Manuel Cazares from Sistema Nacional Producto Tomate; Eric Viramontes from AMHPAC; and top federal government officials, has been working intensively to avoid the suspension of the bilateral antidumping agreement, as proposed by the US Department of Commerce (USDOC). This agreement, called the Tomato Suspension Agreement, has been in force since 1996 and has allowed the free export of Mexican tomatoes to the United States, subject to the terms of the agreement.
If the agreement, as requested by a small group of Florida farmers, is terminated, the economic and social impact would be incalculable for both countries. Tomatoes have been exported from Mexico to the United States since early last century. This industry generates thousands of jobs in both the United States and Mexico. The bi-national tomato supply chain, including growers, exporters, importers, re-packers, transporters and suppliers of the products and customs services, and more, undergird a vibrant industry essential to our economy in both countries.
“It is clear that the Florida growers care very little about the effect ending the agreement would have on the American consumer. The high quality, vine-ripened, delicious tomatoes U.S. consumers have had available for decades will be either unavailable or too expensive to buy. American consumers will be shocked by their loss,” said AMHPAC’s CEO, Eric Viramontes.
Both, the Mexican tomato industry and the Mexican government have shown a willingness to negotiate a new agreement with the USDOC. They propose an agreement that recognized the interests of both countries, by including 100% of the Mexican exporters, unlike the current agreement that includes only 85%; mandating that all Mexican exporters adhere to such agreement; exercising existing mechanisms in Mexico and the U.S. to enforce the agreement; and, finally, offering a Reference Price increase of 18.4% for open field tomatoes and 24.6% for greenhouse-grown tomatoes. These reasonable terms are based on an analysis of historical volume, accumulated inflation and price differentials. This is fair to all entities involved.
Martin Ley from Del Campo Supreme emphasizes, “If this proposal is not accepted by the Department of Commerce or is rejected by the Florida growers, then we will have confirmed that there is another reason, additional to the political pressure from these powerful families to avoid the immediate signing of a new agreement. Our proposal is reasonable, based on market facts and history, with the intention that the agreement is workable, realistic and tied to mechanisms that would require strict compliance.”
For the first time in the history of this type of trade controversy between United States and Mexico, the public has made it clear that they want an agreement that keeps Mexican tomatoes available in abundance. In just the past few weeks, the public has sent the USDOC thousands of letters, also members of Congress, and companies like Wal-Mart, recognized trade organizations such as the Food Marketing Institute, the Border Trade Alliance, the Texas Produce Association, the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce and the National Restaurant Association, have added to the chorus.
For more information, you can visit: www.savemytomato.com
About AMHPAC
AMHPAC is the leading association of the Mexican protected agriculture industry and represents over 250 grower members in 25 of the 32 Mexican States which produce tomatoes for export. Their members are in the production, packaging, distribution and marketing of fresh vegetables grown using “protected agriculture” environments, such as hothouses, shade houses and other indoor environments. AMHPAC growers account for 75% of Mexico’s exports to the U.S. and Canada, where combined production represents more than 19,0000 acres with an annual output of approximately 1,150,000 tons.
Source: AMHPAC
