NAFTA AGRICULTURE FACT SHEET:
Soybeans and Products

TREATMENT OF TARIFFS:

U.S. Import Tariffs

• U.S. imports of soybeans from Mexico enter duty-free.
• Upon enactment of the agreement on January 1, 1994, the United States immediately eliminated its tariff of 0.7 cent per kilogram on soybean meal imports from Mexico. U.S. tariffs on Mexican crude and refined soybean oil were eliminated on January 1, 1998.
• Mexican Import Tariffs
• For soybeans imported from the United States, Mexico immediately reduced the seasonal tariff from 15 percent to 10 percent, and reduced the dutiable season from August 1 to January 31 to the 3- month period of October 1 to December 31. The 10-percent seasonal tariff is being eliminated over a 10-year period. The seasonal tariff from Oct. 1, 1998 to Dec. 31, 1998 is 5 percent.
• Mexico is eliminating its 10-percent tariff on imports of U.S. crude soybean oil over a 10-year period. For refined soybean oil, Mexico is reducing the 20-percent tariff assessed on imports from the United States over the same 10-year period. For 1998, Mexican tariffs for crude soybean oil and refined soybean oil are 4 and 10 percent, respectively.
• For soybean meal imports from the United States, Mexico is eliminating the 15-percent tariff over 10 years. For 1998, the Mexican tariff on soybean meal is 7.5 percent.

TREATMENT OF QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS:

• There are no quantitative restrictions affecting U.S.-Mexico trade in soybeans and products.

RULES OF ORIGIN:

• Refining of crude oil does not confer origin for any vegetable oil, including soybean oil.

U.S. Soybean and Products Trade with Mexico

Soybeans

*Value in $1,000; volume in metric tons. U.S. imports from Mexico are zero or very small.

Soybean Oil

Value in $1,000; volume in metric tons. U.S. imports from Mexico are zero or very small.

Soybean Meal

Value in $1,000; volume in metric tons. U.S. imports from Mexico are zero or very small.

Last modified: Friday, November 18, 2005