Mexico's cane sugar producers and their representative organizations have intensified efforts to persuade the United States to lift restrictive import limits and to negotiate a level playing field for sweetener trade between the two countries. Industry officials said they are also preparing an anti-dumping action against U.S. fructose if negotiations do not produce an acceptable outcome.
Juan Cortina, a representative of the National Agricultural Council (CNA), told reporters that in recent years the United States has applied a policy described as "future imports subject to tariffs," which has drastically reduced the quota of sugar that can enter the U.S. from Mexico. According to Cortina, that measure has cut the quota from an average of 1 million metric tons to roughly 180,000 metric tons this year.
Export decline and domestic price pressure
Industry representatives say the collapse in exports to the United States has had a direct effect on domestic prices. Surplus Mexican sugar, unable to move into the U.S. market at previous volumes, has been sold to other foreign buyers at lower prices than those available in the United States, the representatives said. That shift in export destinations and pricing has contributed to a marked decline in domestic sugar prices.
Cortina argues that the immediate effect of adding the "future imports" category was to strip Mexico of market share in the U.S., even while the United States continued to import sugar and pay the associated tariffs.
Mexico's tariff response and industry demands
In reaction to unusual foreign purchases and falling domestic prices, Mexico introduced a new tariff structure on its own sugar imports last year. The tariff framework applies a 156% ad valorem rate per kilogram for sugars and syrups and a 210.44% rate per kilogram for refined liquid sugar, industry sources said.
The CNA is pressing for a common market arrangement with the United States featuring entry barriers and shared rules intended to prevent third-country sugar shipments from being routed into the U.S. in ways that would count against Mexico's quota. Cortina said this approach is aimed at ensuring that entry into the U.S. market is governed by consistent criteria so Mexico's allocation is not undermined.
Fructose dispute and potential anti-dumping action
Cortina also highlighted a longstanding issue over U.S. fructose, which enters Mexico tariff-free. He said the Mexican sugar sector hoped to reach an agreement with U.S. counterparts on this imbalance. "If that doesn't work, the Mexican sugar industry is working on an anti-dumping case against fructose, because there is indeed an imbalance in sweeteners that goes against what had been agreed upon with the United States," Cortina said.
Next steps and strategy
The CNA will participate in talks in Washington next week as part of the review of the USMCA free trade pact alongside Canada. CNA President Jorge Esteve said the sector wants to diversify its export markets to reduce reliance on the United States and to avoid being exposed to sudden policy changes or measures that can disadvantage Mexican exporters.
Industry officials note that Mexico produces cane sugar across half of its states and that producers, mill operators and day laborers carry political influence domestically. Those stakeholders are driving the push for changes to trade rules and for contingency measures should talks fail.
Implications for markets
The industry's demands touch on trade policy, commodity pricing and cross-border regulatory alignment. Any changes in quotas, tariffs or the outcome of a potential anti-dumping case could influence export flows and domestic pricing for sugar and related sweeteners.