The US Department of Commerce will decide with a public consultation whether they continue or cancel the anti-dumping suspension agreement on Mexican tomatoes.
Two meetings took place this week in Washington with the participation of the Mexican tomato producers' commission, the ambassador José Sarukhán and the US deputy secretary of commerce, Frank Sánchez.
Francisco Campaña, president of the Río Culiacán Growers Association, said in an interview that in order to perform the public consultation, which will only involve those affected, among which we can name providers, retailers, distributors and quite likely US consumers, the Department of Commerce will publish it in the official journal of their country's federation.
The leader announced that the consultation will extend during two weeks and will offer the options of either continuing with the suspension agreement, or putting an end to it, withdrawing the anti-dumping investigation request made in 1996.
The Mexican Producer's Commission includes organizations such as the Vegetable Commission for Defence, Research and Development, based in Sinaloa, the Mexican Association of Protected Horticulture, the Lower California Agricultural Association, Sonora's Agricultural Association and the National Confederation of Vegetable Producers.
This committee of representatives travelled towards the city of Washington on Tuesday last week, where they prepare to defend Mexican tomatoes and continue to threaten a withdrawal of the agreement.
Francisco Campaña informed that, depending on the opinions given during the consultation, the United States Department of Commerce will have to decide whether to accept or refuse the request from the US tomato producers.
He concluded by saying that the anti-dumping suspension agreement has mostly benefited North American consumers, as it has allowed prices of this essential product to stay low.
Source: InfoRural