The National Potato Council (NPC) said the Mexican Supreme Court's decision last week to postpone action on cases that would allow full importation of fresh U.S. potatoes appears rooted in political interference by the Mexico potato industry.
NPC said the Mexican news outlet Reforma reported that CONPAPA, a group representing Mexico's potato producers, asked the president to direct the head of the Ministry of Agriculture to withdraw its appeal in the lawsuits, which would end the legal process.
“Given that the cartel Wednesday morning requested that the government drop these cases, and immediately after the court again delayed their decision, it is reasonable to assume that the legal process in Mexico is impaired by politics,” NPC CEO Kam Quarles said. “Therefore, in order to enforce our rights, it appears the USMCA [U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement] is the best option. Once we successfully prove our case there, it will allow the U.S. to attach retaliatory tariffs to Mexican agricultural products such as avocados until they provide the access we are due.”
The matter is one of the early friction points between the U.S. and Mexico under USMCA, with NPC and lawmakers pushing for action on the situation from the Biden administration.