Fresh potato imports would affect potato producers in the Yaqui Valley, Sonora and the country, as well as producers of tomatoes and other solanaceous plants such as eggplant and peppers.
Thus, tomato growers in the state of Sonora are supporting the measures being taken by potato producers to stop the entry of the fresh produce into the country as it threatens the health of the state and Mexico, said Manuel Cazares Castro.
The president of the Tomato Product System said that they supported the measures as the imports of fresh potato with plant health problems would put at risk over a billion pesos in investments made to plant over 1,500 hectares of protected tomato horticulture in Sonora and the thousands of wages they generate.
"We support the legal actions that the potato farmers are interposing just like they supported us when we took measures against dumping, which the U.S. Government sought to impose on tomato producers,," said Cazares Castro.
Tomato producers didn’t take legal action because the measure doesn’t affect them so directly and they are still struggling against the dumping; as farmers in the United States still insist on adding a tariff on the tomatoes.
Source: TRIBUNA