The administration is investigating whether Mexican strawberry imports are sold at unfairly low prices, potentially leading to higher consumer costs.
The administration announced an investigation into whether Mexican strawberry growers are selling their winter-harvested fruit at unfairly low prices. This move could result in new tariffs on imports, potentially increasing costs for American shoppers. Last year, Mexico provided 98% of the United States' strawberry imports, totaling over $1 billion in value. The case was brought forward by Strawberry Growers for Fair Trade, a coalition of Florida producers who argue that Mexican imports have grown faster than demand, taking market share from domestic growers. Daniel Pickard, lead counsel for the coalition, stated that while tariffs would help US farmers compete, the impact on consumer prices would be relatively modest. The Department of Commerce is expected to release a preliminary finding by August 18. This decision follows a similar process where previous tariffs on Mexican tomatoes and Italian pasta were adjusted based on a new data review.