Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Mexico Is Said to Plan Tariffs on U.S. Pork, Oranges in Trucking Dispute

(Bloomberg – Jens Erik Gould)

Mexico will impose import tariffs on pork, oranges and other U.S. goods because of the U.S. government’s failure to restore a program allowing Mexican trucks to operate north of the border, a Mexican official said.

The new U.S. goods subject to tariffs also include grapefruit, pistachios, chewing gum, cheese and ketchup, said the official, who declined to be identified because he wasn’t authorized to speak on the subject. The U.S. National Pork Producers Council also said in an e-mailed statement that pork will be added to the list of products facing tariffs.

Mexico’s government is waiting for the U.S. to propose a resolution to the standoff, which started when the U.S. Congress ended a pilot program allowing Mexican trucks to deliver goods in the U.S. Mexico responded in March 2009 by putting tariffs of 10% to 45% on U.S. goods including vegetables, wine, juices, sunglasses and toothpaste. Now, authorities are imposing a second round of tariffs covering more goods. Read more
here.

Update: A list of tariff items covered by the second round of punitive tariffs can be viewed here (translated from the original release issued in Spanish by the Mexican Secretaria de Gobernacion).