Mexican tomato growers are bracing for major impacts, including reduced exports, job losses and declining domestic prices, following the United States' imposition of a 17.09 percent duty on most fresh tomatoes imported from Mexico on July 14.
The decision to impose the duty was announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce, marking a withdrawal from the 2019 agreement between the two countries to suspend the antidumping investigation on fresh tomatoes.
Mexico's ministries of economy and agriculture said on Monday in a joint statement that the U.S. decision was unfair, as it not only harms the interests of Mexican producers but also affects U.S. related industries and consumers.
Mexico supplies at least two-thirds of the tomatoes consumed in the United States, with annual exports worth more than 2.8 billion U.S. dollars.
In the Mexican state of Morelos, one of the country’s major tomato-producing regions, growers say they expect reduced exports to the United States due to the newly imposed duty, and they believe American consumers will also feel the impact of higher tomato prices.
"We believe that the export of Mexican tomatoes to the United States will drop by at least 15 to 20 percent as a result of the newly imposed duty. The tomatoes, which previously would head towards the U.S. market, will stay in Mexico and the U.S. consumers will pay more for imported Mexican tomatoes because they have to pay the duty," said Humberto Sandoval Zamora, a tomato grower in Morelos.
Beyond the growers, the entire industry is bracing for broader impacts, as key stages of production -- from cultivation and picking to transportation -- are poised to take a heavy hit.
"Since exporting tomatoes to the U.S. has become less profitable, we will pick less and transport less tomatoes in Mexico, and as a result less workers are needed. The newly imposed U.S. duty will lead to job cuts and many people will become unemployed," said Jose, a tomato picker.
Major Mexican tomato exporters have decided to cut shipments to the U.S. market, while tomato prices in Mexico have dropped sharply due to a drastic increase in supply.
"Over the past three days, domestic tomato prices have dropped by nearly 40 percent, and they’re still falling," said a tomato distributor in Morelos.
Mexican tomato growers brace for industry-wide impact from US tariff
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
