The dispute over sugar continues.
The U.S. and Mexican governments reached a new trade agreement on paper on June 6. But U.S. sugar producers aren’t backing the deal.
The agreement calls for Mexico to export less refined sugar and more raw sugar to the United States.
Mexico’s overall access to the U.S. sugar market is unchanged. But refined sugar must fall to 30 percent of overall imports from 53 percent.
“The Mexican side has agreed to nearly every request made by the U.S. industry to address flaws in the current system and to ensure fair treatment of American sugar growers and refiners,” said Wilbur Ross, the Secretary of Commerce.
“Unfortunately, despite all of those gains, the U.S. sugar industry has said it is unable to support the new agreement in its present form,” he said.
Sources say the U.S. sugar industry added new demands last minute, after official terms were hammered out earlier in the day.
The sugar trade dispute began three years ago. U.S. groups complained of the dumping of subsidized imports from Mexico. They asked the government for protection.
“These new agreements between the governments, as well as the Mexican sugar industry, prevent dumping of Mexican sugar and correct for subsidies the Mexican sugar industry receives,” said Ross.
A deal, should both sides accept it, will finally end the dispute.
