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U.S. Imposes 17.09% Antidumping Duty on Mexican Tomatoes

Protecting U.S. growers from unfair imports, the duty risks driving up grocery store prices.

George Zahradka the owner of Zahradka Family Farm with tomatoes he picked on his farm in Essex. (Lloyd Fox/Staff)
After eggs, tomatoes are getting costlier in the US (Unsplash - representational image)
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Overview

  • On July 14, the Commerce Department terminated the 2019 Tomato Suspension Agreement and issued an antidumping duty order imposing a 17.09% tariff on most Mexican tomato imports.
  • The department said Mexican producers sold tomatoes at unfairly low prices, calculating the 17.09% rate to reflect the dumping margin.
  • Retail grocery shoppers and restaurants are expected to see higher tomato costs this week as the new levy takes effect nationwide.
  • Maryland and other U.S. tomato growers view the levy as an opportunity to win back market share but face hurdles in scale and supply chain infrastructure.
  • The duty forms part of the Trump administration’s broader trade strategy, which includes a potential 30% tariff on all Mexican goods starting in August.