Tomato producers in Sinaloa, Mexico, are heading into the new season under pressure from both external and internal challenges: U.S. tariffs, drought conditions, and labor shortages linked to regional insecurity. According to Socorro Castro Gálvez, grower and exporter, farmers will face a 17% tariff alongside strict water requirements, complicating planting for the 2025–2026 season. "It's going to be very difficult to start, because the government will hesitate to release water," he said.
The situation is also weighed down by Mexico's lack of reforms to support agriculture, creating what Castro Gálvez described as an "unprecedented" season. Héctor Heredia, a grower from Villa Juárez, echoed the concerns, noting that reduced acreage will also cut labor demand, from 350 to around 300 workers.
U.S. restrictions, combined with regional violence, have further reduced interest from seasonal laborers. "They don't want to come because of the violence," Heredia explained. In Villa Juárez, this has already impacted planting, with cultivated area shrinking from 150 hectares to 90 hectares.
Mexico exports 1.8 million tons of tomatoes to the U.S. annually, of which Sinaloa contributes around 400,000 tons, generating about $400 million. Yet tariffs and local security issues are weighing heavily on growers.
The backdrop dates back to 1996, when Florida producers accused Mexico of dumping, leading to minimum price agreements. These were broken in 2019, when a provisional tariff was introduced, and in 2023 tariffs were re-established at 17.9%.
According to Jesús Rojo Plascencia, president of CAADES, the tariff is likely to affect U.S. consumers more than Mexican growers, given that U.S. demand far exceeds domestic supply. Meanwhile, Ramón Gallegos Araiza, undersecretary of SAADER, pointed out that the main impact will be on the marketing chain rather than on Mexico's production itself.
Even so, Rojo Plascencia emphasized that Mexico remains indispensable for the U.S. market:
"The quality of Mexican tomatoes, together with the application of new technologies, ensures that two out of every three tomatoes consumed in the U.S. come from Mexico. It would be very difficult for them to cover demand or find another supplier. That's why we believe these measures won't remain in place for long."
He concluded: "Mexican tomatoes surpass those produced in the United States in both quality and volume. This is why we continue to be a key supplier to the U.S. market."
Source: riodoce.mx
