Tomato growers in the US respond to Mexico's trade dispute

The U.S. Court of International Trade has directed the Department of Commerce (DOC) to reevaluate its 2019 investigation into the dumping of Mexican tomatoes in the U.S. market, specifically instructing the use of data from the original 1996 case. This procedural decision, which does not challenge the occurrence of dumping but mandates a review using older data, has implications for the ongoing trade dispute between U.S. and Mexican tomato industries. The Florida Tomato Exchange (FTE) maintains that Mexican tomatoes have been dumped in the U.S. for over three decades, undermining suspension agreements aimed at preventing such practices. Despite the court's decision, the FTE believes the investigation will reaffirm the continuous issue of dumping. This situation underscores the tension between the two countries' tomato sectors and the potential for antidumping duties if the current suspension agreement, deemed ineffective by U.S. growers, is terminated.