- Donald Trump has imposed a 17 per cent tariff on tomatoes imported from Mexico, raising concerns about increased prices for consumers and businesses.
- The tariffs took effect after the US withdrew from the nearly three-decade-old Tomato Suspension Agreement, with the Secretary of Commerce stating American farmers had been ‘crushed by unfair trade practices’. The Commerce Department calculated the 17 per cent import tax to measure the percentage by which Mexican tomatoes were allegedly sold at unfair prices in the US.
- The measure is expected to result in higher costs at supermarkets and restaurants, with one Californian restaurant owner predicting bankruptcy within three months.
- Mexico, which supplies about 70 per cent of US tomatoes, has refuted claims of dumping, insisting the popularity of their produce is due to its quality, and stated that substitution would be impossible.
There are plenty of sources of vitamin c that are available in the winter. Broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts are all available in colder climates well into fall and winter. Sailors would get scurvy from eating fish and cured meat and drinking only ale and water for months at a time. Malnourished children get scurvy because of neglect. It’s not that hard for adults with access to fresh food and sufficient economic freedom to get enough vitamins.