NOGALES, AZ - Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, Republicans of Florida, recently issued a letter to the United States Trade Representative requesting that the Biden Administration open a trade investigation on Mexico’s fresh fruit and vegetable sector. The Fresh Produce Association of the Americas commented on this in relation to the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement.

“A real reason Florida’s producers continue to lose market share is because they fail to innovate in new varieties and growing technologies, and consumers have spoken at the supermarket,” said Lance Jungmeyer, President of the FPAA. “U.S. produce suppliers look to Mexican protected agriculture to augment their fresh produce supplies, and these higher quality, flavorful varieties check off all the boxes for what consumers value. U.S. importers offer the colorful varieties and better cosmetic appearance and flavor profiles that consumers demand, plus they are grown with minimal chemical inputs in an environment that conserves water use.”

Rubio and Scott have accused Mexico of a “multi-decade export targeting scheme” involving produce grown in greenhouses, shadehouses, and other structures, a press release outlined.

“Florida and U.S. companies importing from Mexico have competed for generations during the winter and spring months, and that is not going to change. You can count on that,” Jungmeyer said. “You can also count on the fact that every election cycle, Florida politicians will dredge up the same tired complaints, which ignore the market dynamics.”

Due to the popularity of Mexican fresh produce, some Florida-based companies have made significant investments in greenhouses and shadehouses in Mexico, the press release noted.

“Senators Rubio and Scott should look at the fact sheet, which shows that Florida is the Number 4 state for directly importing Mexican fresh produce, behind Texas, Arizona, and California. It’s a really big business for Florida firms, and the reason is Florida field-grown produce does not arrive to market at the same level of quality as Mexican produce,” Jungmeyer added.

A study from the University of Florida points to unfavorable growing conditions and limited availability of agricultural workers and real estate development as challenges. The Senators also revisited Mexican subsidies, of which Mexico spends approximately 2 percent compared to 41 percent of the U.S.

For more information from FPAA, read the press release in full here.

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Fresh Produce Association of the Americas