Background on the Issue
Mexico has started an anti-dumping investigation into the importation of apples from the United States, following indications that these apples are being sold below their normal value. This decision comes after the Mexican Secretariat of Economy accepted a request to initiate this process due to concerns about the pricing and its impact on the Mexican apple industry.
Export Trends and Market Dynamics
In the period from January to September 2025, the United States exported apples to the Mexican market worth $286 million. This represents a 10.2% decrease compared to the previous year, as per data from the US Department of Commerce.
- The seasonality of apple imports is significant, as they are a seasonal product, especially during the latter part of the year.
- Unsold refrigerated appales risk losing most of their value if not sold at the start of the next harvest, as refrigeration only delays spoilage.
- High inventory levels at harvest time can lower the price of the upcoming harvest, prompting US producers to sell their surplus before the new harvest to free up refrigeration capacity.
Importation Details and Market Impact
The investigation was initiated on August 29, 2025, by the Unión Agrícola Regional de Fruticultores del Estado de Chihuahua (Unifrut), a civil association representing Mexican apple producers. Unifrut presented arguments and evidence about lower-than-market prices and damages caused to the Mexican apple sector.
The Secretariat of Economy set the investigated period from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, and the injury analysis period from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2025.
During the analyzed period, US apples accounted for 98.1% of total imports, with consistent and significant increases reaching a 27.6% growth.
- The rise in imports from the US has led to an increase in their share of the National Apparent Consumption and displacement of domestically produced apples.
- Mexican production contracted by 3.6% during the analyzed period, with a 0.7% increase from April 2023 to March 2024, followed by a 4.3% decrease from April 2024 to March 2025.
- National production oriented towards the domestic market followed a similar pattern to overall national production, as export volumes were minimal (less than 0.2% on average during the analyzed period).
- Total imports grew by 29% during the analyzed period, with an 18% increase from April 2023 to March 2024, and a 9% increase from April 2024 to March 2025.
Seven countries supplied the imported apples, with the US being the primary source at 97.5%, followed by Chile (1.5%), South Africa (0.7%), Canada (0.1%), China (0.07%), New Zealand (0.04%), and Argentina (0.03%).
Unifrut’s Concerns and Potential Impact
Unifrut highlighted that various economic and financial indicators of the domestic production sector had a negative performance during the analyzed period due to the increased importation of US apples at discriminatory prices.
- This resulted in reduced profitability, forcing sales at low prices below domestic production costs.
- Unifrut warned that the domestic production sector faces an imminent risk of further damage if the unfair practices by US apple exporters are not corrected.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the investigation about? Mexico has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into US apple imports, suspecting they are being sold below their normal value.
- Why is this important? The investigation aims to protect the Mexican apple industry from unfair pricing practices that negatively impact domestic producers.
- What are the export trends? US apple exports to Mexico were valued at $286 million from January to September 2025, showing a 10.2% decrease compared to the previous year.
- How do seasonal imports affect the market? Apple imports are seasonal, with a significant portion coming in the latter part of the year. Unsold apples risk losing value if not sold promptly.
- What are the primary origins of imported apples? The US is the main source, accounting for 97.5% of total imports during the analyzed period.
- What concerns does Unifrut have? Unifrut is concerned about the negative impact of discriminatory pricing on domestic production, leading to reduced profitability and potential further damage if not addressed.
