Apples grown in the United States are often sold at lower prices than those grown in Mexico, frustrating farmers who believe they are faced with an uneven playing field.
Producers have accused the U.S. of dumping the product on the Mexican market, hurting domestic agriculture and undermining their efforts to increase production.
While Mexico doesn’t grow enough apples to satisfy domestic demand, a representative of the national apple growers’ association told the newspaper Milenio that the industry opposes predatory pricing that adversely affects Mexican growers.
Ricardo Márquez said that Mexico imports around 300,000 tonnes of U.S. grown apples per year and the quantity is growing despite greater investment in the sector and an improvement in technologies aimed at increasing yields.
Oversupply is particularly damaging to local producers. He said the growers’ association has lodged claims with authorities in relation to U.S. dumping at prices that undercut the locally grown product.
“We have fought and asked the government for equality so that imports are not carried out under unfair and advantageous conditions that directly affect Mexican apple producers,” Márquez said.
