Mexico Lifts Tariffs on U.S. Apples
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Denise Yockey
(800) 456-2753
Mexico has lifted a 46.6 percent tariff on Red and Golden Delicious apples, according to United States negotiators.
The tariff had slowed exports of those varieties by making them more expensive than apples grown in Mexico and other countries. In 2002, the Mexican government imposed the tariff to penalize Northwest exporters for selling at below-market prices.
For this duty-free access, United States exporters must sell at set prices to protect Mexico's domestic apple industry.
Michigan began shipping apples to Mexico a year ago. Exporting Michigan apples to Mexico helps improve profitability of the state's apple industry by strengthening prices through market expansion. Approximately three to five percent of the state's fresh apples are exported, with two-thirds of them going to Latin America.
Michigan apple growers, shippers and agriculture officials have gone through years of effort developing and implementing a phytosanitary procedure to ensure that no insects or diseases would be exported along with the fruit.
The Michigan Apple Committee is a grower-funded nonprofit organization devoted to promotion, education and research activities to distinguish the Michigan apple and encourage its consumption by consumers in Michigan and around the world. For more information, visit www.MichiganApples.com.