The US announced today that it is imposing a 17% tariff on tomatoes imported from Mexico, after the cancellation of the free trade agreement between the two countries for this product, Agence France-Presse reported, BTA reported.
In mid-April, Washington announced its intention to terminate the agreement, signed in 2019 during President Donald Trump's first term.
Initially, the US government threatened Mexican tomatoes with a 21% tariff before finally deciding to apply a 17% tariff on the vegetables.
Mexico condemns the "unfair" an additional duty that "contradicts the interests of Mexican producers as well as American consumers", according to a statement released today by the Mexican ministries of agriculture and economy.
"Given that two out of every three tomatoes consumed in the United States come from Mexico, the measure (. . .) will only affect American consumers, since it will be impossible to replace Mexican tomatoes," the statement added.
The Mexican government said it would help local tomato producers reach an agreement with the United States to lift the tariffs, as well as support them in seeking new markets, Reuters reported.
The U.S. Commerce Department has accused Mexican producers of unfair competition and said the tariffs were calculated to compensate for these practices.