The United States will introduce a 17.5 percent tariff on tomato imports from Mexico starting on Tuesday May 7, as the two countries were unable to renew the 2013 agreement, which suspended the US anti-dumping investigation, a Mexican official said on Monday May 6.

The U.S. Department of Commerce said in early February that the United States would resume an anti-dumping investigation of Mexican tomatoes, abandoning a so-called suspension agreement that halted an anti-dumping investigation, while Mexican producers were selling their tomatoes at a price higher than the previously agreed price.

Mexican Economy Minister Luz María de la Mora said US measures will be in place until a new agreement to suspend them is reached. “From tomorrow, a tariff of 17.5 percent will be applied to the cost of the product.

Mexican exporters will suffer, this will affect their financial income. We are very disappointed, but the good news is that negotiations are ongoing in search of a solution. And we hope that in the coming weeks we can really reach an agreement, ”added de la Mora.

According to de la Mora, Mexico annually exports about $ 2 billion worth of tomatoes to the United States.