Business News

Group finds Mexico hurt US by dumping subsidized sugar

by Janet McConnaughey, Associated Press

Photo by Friviere/Wikimedia

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The U.S. International Trade Commission has ruled unanimously that Mexico hurt farmers in this country by dumping heavily subsidized sugar on U.S. markets.

The American Sugar Alliance says Tuesday's 6-0 vote means agreements to keep Mexican producers from undercutting U.S. prices remain in effect into 2019. In those agreements, Mexican producers accepted total export limits and minimum prices set by the United States and avoided hefty tariffs.

The Sugar Alliance was among groups requesting federal investigations in 2014, saying imports subsidized by the Mexican government had cut the price of raw sugar in half since 2011.

Spokesman Phillip Hayes says the dumping affected both sugar beet and sugar cane farmers. Sugar beets are grown in 10 states from Michigan to California and sugar cane in four southern states.