Apples, Other Fruits

NAFTA AGRICULTURE FACT SHEET:
Apples and Other Fruits

TREATMENT OF TARIFFS:

U.S. Import Tariffs

Upon enactment of the NAFTA on January 1, 1994, the United States eliminated the import tariffs on pears, quinces, apricots, cherries, peaches, nectarines, plums, and prunes imported from Mexico. The U.S. tariffs on these products ranged from 0.4 cent per kilogram to 1.1 cents per kilogram. Some products imported from Mexico, including apples and cherries, already entered duty-free.

Mexican Import Tariffs

Upon enactment of the NAFTA, Mexico eliminated the 20-percent import tariff on U.S. fresh cherries.
Fresh pears, quinces, plums, prunes, and apricots imported from the United States became duty-free on January 1, 1998.
For fresh apples, peaches and nectarines, Mexico's 20-percent tariff on imports from the United States is being phased out over 10 years. The 1998 tariff is 10 percent.
For imports of fresh apples from the United States (and Canada), Mexico implemented a special agricultural safeguard. For U.S. apples, this safeguard allowed an initial quota of 55,000 tons to be exported to Mexico at the preferential NAFTA tariff. The initial quota grows at a 3-percent compounded annual rate. The initial in-quota tariff was 20 percent, which is being phased out over 10 years. The over-quota tariff is the lower of Mexico's current MFN duty (20 percent) or the MFN rate in place at the time of the safeguard action. For 1998 the quota is 61,903 metric tons and the in-quota tariff is 10 percent.
Canadian apples received the same safeguard treatment, but the initial import quota was 1,000 metric tons.

TREATMENT OF QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS:

There are no quantitative restrictions affecting U.S.-Mexico trade on these fresh fruits.

U.S. Fresh Fruit Trade with Mexico

Apples