Obama Should Reconsider Termination of Tomato Suspension Agreement, Says NCBFAA

The Obama administration should reconsider its preliminary decision to terminate the agreement suspending an antidumping investigation of Mexican tomatoes, the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) said in an Oct. 18 letter to the president. The International Trade Administration recently posted its preliminary results of the changed circumstances review of fresh tomatoes from Mexico, potentially leading to a new antidumping investigation and the imposition of AD duties. (See ITT's Online Archives 12092821 for summary of the preliminary results.)

The suspension agreement has added stability to the tomato market, said the NCBFAA. "Abruptly terminating the agreement now will be highly disruptive, causing price hikes for consumers at a time when they are already strained economically," the letter said. "At the same time, an end to the suspension agreement will trigger a damaging trade war with Mexico, with serious consequences for small businesses and workers along the southern border, whose livelihood depends on healthy trade flows into and out of Mexico. The suspension agreement itself contains the mechanism for resolving any issues or concerns that arise. Those mechanisms should be used now to avert an unwelcome trade war where nobody wins."

NCBFAA members "along the Southern border work with a range of Mexican tomato growers and U.S. importers to ensure that all elements of the suspension agreement are met," the association said. "These same members, who employ hundreds of workers along the border, will be particularly hard hit by the termination of the suspension agreement."

(Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the NCBFAA letter.)