AMHPAC: Mexico tomato growers "hanging by a thread"

From FreshFruitPortal.com

The Mexican Association of Protected Horticulture (AMHPAC) is in search of new tomato markets to offset the impacts of any potential U.S. anti-dumping decisions in the future.

AMHPAC CEO Alfredo Diaz Belmontes told www.freshfruitportal.com that despite reaching an agreement in March to renew a suspension agreement – which prevents anti-dumping action – under new reference prices, Florida tomato growers continued to seek legal action against the Mexican industry.

“After we signed the agreement in we’ve still been hanging by a thread because there is still no resolution; the situation could go in favor of them and put an end to the anti-dumping extension agreement,” he said.

“We cannot be depending on one market because it makes us vulnerable; we need to have a portfolio of markets, so that our members have various options and that their exportable supply can be distributed in a way that better suits them.”

Diaz Belmontes added that around 90 percent of AMHPAC’s production was exported, mostly to the U.S. and Canada.

He said the association was working with different government agencies including ProMéxico and the Secretariat of Economy to evaluate the market potential of different global markets, along with their phytosanitary regulations.

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