The Mexican Persian lime industry is relieved, but yet anxious about looming trade tariffs from their main market of the U.S. that was postponed for 30 days. An exporter of Persian Limes from Veracruz in México says, "With the 30-day postponement, there's still uncertainty about what will happen next. The industry in Mexico remains cautious, as any new tariffs or trade barriers could impact costs and supply chains."
The hefty 25% import tariff has been postponed for 30 days following a deal between U.S. President Donald Trump and Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum. This follows after the Mexican Government agreed to increase border security and curb drug trafficking. However, despite the 30-day pause, Mexican limes exporters are watching the situation carefully with a lot of uncertainty still around. On whether the U.S. will still go ahead with the tariffs or not. "In the meantime, exporters are closely monitoring the situation and evaluating contingency plans," notes the exporter.
The exporter said there was also no certainty if limes would be included under the new and now delayed tariffs or not. Persian limes are duty-free under the existing trade agreement Trump negotiated in his first term with their neighboring countries known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). "There's no confirmation yet on whether Trump's new tariffs will affect Persian limes; they currently remain duty-free under USMCA. In the industry in Mexico uncertainty persists, but exporters are monitoring the situation and considering strategies such as market diversification and price adjustments," states the exporter.
The limes market in the usual cross-border trading between Mexico and the U.S. remains stable since the tariffs were announced on Sunday notes the exporter. "The market is seeing stable production, steady exports, and fluctuating prices; there is an oversupply of smaller sizes and high demand for larger sizes. There is no immediate impact, but it's crucial to stay alert for any changes that could affect costs and logistics."