NOGALES, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tomatoes are food for a huge slice of the Nogales economy but as tomato importers are worried a trade dispute could raise costs and drag down the industry.
Nogales produce importers bring in all sorts of fruits and vegetables from Mexico but tomatoes are their biggest business by far.
But a trade dispute with tomato growers in Florida is about to blow up again.
Almost 30 years Florida tomato growers complained that Mexican growers were dumping tomatoes in US markets at prices too low to be fair. In the name of evening things out, the US Commerce Department imposed a 17 percent Customs duty, but suspended it in return from concessions from Mexican growers.
Florida says Mexican growers are still competing unfairly so after several extensions, the Commerce Department is ready to let those customs duties kick in in a little over two weeks.
Jaime Chamberlain’s family has been distributing produce from Mexico for about fifty years.
He says, “There's a lot of people who are saying Mexican tomato farmers are much more productive and that their prices, their cost of production is less than what is here domestically. You know that domestic farmers have a difficult time in getting labor, and that that is only going to increase. You know, as ICE continues with their deportations, so labor on farms will get much more difficult as we go forward through the summer.”
Chamberlain says if duties on tomatoes go up, imports will likely go down. He says that will cost jobs through the industry that helps Nogales economy, and the state’s economy, prosper.
He thinks the penalty charges will take effect as scheduled July 14 but still has hopes a new agreement could come after that—-or maybe before.
“If there's anything that we've learned from the administration is that there is a possibility for a negotiation every second of the day and to the last minute, to the last second, there's an opportunity to make a deal.”
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Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 40 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing craig.smith@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
