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In It to Win It

(11,117 posts)
Mon Jul 14, 2025, 08:16 PM Jul 14

US imposes a 17% duty on fresh Mexican tomatoes in hopes of boosting domestic production

The U.S. government said Monday it is immediately placing a 17% duty on most fresh Mexican tomatoes after negotiations ended without an agreement to avert the tariff.

Proponents said the import tax will help rebuild the shrinking U.S. tomato industry and ensure that produce eaten in the U.S. is also grown there. Mexico currently supplies around 70% of the U.S. tomato market, up from 30% two decades ago, according to the Florida Tomato Exchange.

Robert Guenther, the trade group's executive vice president, said the duty was “an enormous victory for American tomato farmers and American agriculture."

But opponents said the import tax will make tomatoes more expensive for U.S. consumers.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-imposes-17-duty-fresh-210632170.html
20 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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US imposes a 17% duty on fresh Mexican tomatoes in hopes of boosting domestic production (Original Post) In It to Win It Jul 14 OP
THERE'S NOBODY TO PICK THEM DOMESTICALLY YOU FUCKING MORONS!!!!! Prairie Gates Jul 14 #1
Beat me to it JustAnotherGen Jul 14 #9
US tomato growers will still raise their prices Justice Brandeis Jul 14 #2
I'm confused. Wouldn't that help California since more are grown in that state than any other? surfered Jul 14 #3
IIRC most California tomatoes are canned Retrograde Jul 14 #12
Total posturing via the administration. republianmushroom Jul 14 #4
great now we can repeal socialist price supports for american tomato growers. btw why are tomatos so inedible? msongs Jul 14 #5
They are trucked long distances so they have to be picked before they are ripe. . . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Jul 14 #8
For what it's worth... DET Jul 14 #17
Sigh MissB Jul 14 #6
Whos going to show up to pick our tomatoes ???? Karadeniz Jul 14 #7
Does he even realize... Norbert Jul 14 #10
Mine were in the ground May 17. Ms. Toad Jul 14 #13
Tariffs are regressive sales taxes Dave says Jul 14 #15
Tomatoes are (very) tender perennials Retrograde Jul 14 #16
We have a local grower KentuckyWoman Jul 14 #11
Florida farmers are literally plowing over acre upon acre of perfectly fine tomatoes... EarthFirst Jul 14 #14
Seen earlier today Blue Full Moon Jul 14 #18
Yet, they deport people in the US who grow and harvest tomatoes tinrobot Tuesday #19
Been trying to stock up on canned tomato products, using SNAP dollars.... Jack Valentino Tuesday #20

Justice Brandeis

(88 posts)
2. US tomato growers will still raise their prices
Mon Jul 14, 2025, 08:20 PM
Jul 14

Because they can.

And Trump, Miller and Homan are deporting all the pickers.

surfered

(8,010 posts)
3. I'm confused. Wouldn't that help California since more are grown in that state than any other?
Mon Jul 14, 2025, 08:21 PM
Jul 14

I thought they hated California?

Retrograde

(11,199 posts)
12. IIRC most California tomatoes are canned
Mon Jul 14, 2025, 09:32 PM
Jul 14

or go into sauces. I often see trucks full of them in the Central Valley in late summer, and they definitely weren’t bred to require gentle handling. There are some varieties grown for eating, but those tend to end up in farmers’ markets or some local stores. A lot of the fresh tomatoes in major California stores(especially heirloom varieties), maybe except for a brief time in summer, come from Mexico or Canada.

msongs

(71,813 posts)
5. great now we can repeal socialist price supports for american tomato growers. btw why are tomatos so inedible?
Mon Jul 14, 2025, 08:31 PM
Jul 14

DET

(2,117 posts)
17. For what it's worth...
Mon Jul 14, 2025, 10:49 PM
Jul 14

I know nothing about tomatoes, except what I like and can buy at the grocery. Full sized tomatoes are a crap shoot, sometimes delicious but often inedible. But I’ve consistently found that Campari and Sapori tomatoes are always good, even in the winter. They’re larger than a cherry tomato, but smaller than a full sized tomato, and they’re usually packed in a plastic container. Just my 2 cents.

MissB

(16,329 posts)
6. Sigh
Mon Jul 14, 2025, 08:32 PM
Jul 14

Looks like I’ll be doing without slicer tomatoes over the winter.

I have a greenhouse but I’m not sure I’ll be heating it this winter. It’ll already extend my season for a bit, but all I have in there are some Ildi (a cherry sized tomato) and a canne torre (a storage tomato). It is possible that I’ll start a micro tomato or two this summer to bring inside but the ones I have are cherry tomato size or mini marzano.

Maybe the storage tomatoes will be decent fresh eating.

Norbert

(7,170 posts)
10. Does he even realize...
Mon Jul 14, 2025, 09:07 PM
Jul 14

that in the Midwest, if tomato plants are not in the ground and starting to bud six weeks ago, you are behind the eight ball for the outdoor growing season.

The guy placing a duty on tomatoes from Mexico probably has never as much as watered a house plant.

Ms. Toad

(37,329 posts)
13. Mine were in the ground May 17.
Mon Jul 14, 2025, 09:50 PM
Jul 14

I've got a few 2" tomatoes. It will be the end of July before I get full-sized ripe ones.

You're right - Trump can't just snap his fingers and make tomatoes magically appear.

Retrograde

(11,199 posts)
16. Tomatoes are (very) tender perennials
Mon Jul 14, 2025, 10:11 PM
Jul 14

in their native land, and the first frost will kill them. Here south of SF mine will blossom and even set fruit until early November, but the fruits won’t ripen outdoors. (otoh, they usually don’t even start fruiting until Mid August - the wonder of micro climates)

There are varieties that can be grown indoors and fruit most of the year, but they tend to produce small fruit. Some growers are raising tomatoes in plastic tunnels, which are supposed to extend the growing season, but I don't know much about this. I suspect it's labor-intensive, though.

So get ready for the rock-like pink spheres of my youth, or grow your own, or learn to eat seasonally. And get ready to pay a lot more for less.

KentuckyWoman

(7,132 posts)
11. We have a local grower
Mon Jul 14, 2025, 09:21 PM
Jul 14

They have huge greenhouses all around. Tomatoes all year. Spinach, and other greens. Surprisingly good even in January.

Expensive. But worth it.

Local eggs, dairy and meat as well. Have not been as lucky with other foods but am working on it. I miss living in farm country.

EarthFirst

(3,738 posts)
14. Florida farmers are literally plowing over acre upon acre of perfectly fine tomatoes...
Mon Jul 14, 2025, 09:56 PM
Jul 14

…there’s no one to harvest or process them!

Jack Valentino

(2,838 posts)
20. Been trying to stock up on canned tomato products, using SNAP dollars....
Tue Jul 15, 2025, 01:20 AM
Tuesday

and growing my own, in the back yard....

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