The Department of Commerce of the United States asked the Mexican tomato industry for complementary information in terms of production, coverage, price and supervision around the Complementary Suspension Agreement.
The Foreign Trade Under-secretary Francisco Rosenzweig, said that the responses were immediate from Mexican farmers and next Tuesday and Friday there will be other meetings between the involved parties.
"Tomorrow and Friday there will be meetings in Washington. Tomato producers are meeting every two or three days as of the coming weeks with their counterparts in the Department of Commerce," he said.
The Mexican official reiterated that what is desirable is that the conflict is resolved by the end of this Government, so the Mexican government expects answers and "purposeful responses."
So we are working and urging trading authorities to give all the information and help to make a decision as soon as possible. It's what we're looking for, he said.
Rosenzweig was interviewed by Notimex at the end of the opening of the intersessional meeting of TPP.
He said that he was in Washington recently to support and work together with the industrial sector, in order to provide the necessary elements for a solution to the conflict in what is left of the year. "I met with trade officials and representatives from the trade offices and we are insisting and contributing with additional elements to search for a solution in the remainder of this year," he said.
The Under-secretary said that the issue is undoubtedly one of utmost importance for the Government of Mexico and for the national agricultural industry.
He commented that the details asked by the Department of Commerce of the United States are related to production, price and supervision of the Agreement.
"We were requested to provide information on production, price monitoring or supervision of the Agreement and the coverage that would be exported under the Suspension Agreement," he said.
He recalled that the Agreement covers 85% of exports and the proposal means for it to be 100%.
Francisco Rosenzweig pointed out that changes require many details or to explain in a more precise way how it is intended, through the Agreement, to export at 100%.
"Thus we have already taken the first step with a higher order and better supervision of the agreement. It is up to them to give feedback. What is their position regarding the proposals or proposals regarding coverage, pricing and supervision of the agreement," he reiterated.
It is worth remembering that next January the dumping suspension agreement for Mexican tomato exports expires.
It is a partnership between tomato growers in Mexico and the Department of Commerce of the United States, to continue exporting Mexican tomatoes without customs taxes and the obligation on the Mexican producers part not to sell below the minimum reference price (0.2169 dls/lb).
However, Florida growers would like to impose a tariff of 16.65% for the Mexican vegetables to reduce marketing.
In response, the Government of Mexico and the country's tomato industry submitted to the Department of Commerce of the United States a proposal to renegotiate the Suspension Agreement
The proposal presents an increase to the export reference price between 18 and 25 percent. However, the U.S. has not issued their position.
Source: NOTIMEX