China Extends Antidumping Investigation into Mexico: Impact on Pecans?

China Extends Antidumping Investigation into Mexico: What Will Happen to Pecans?

China’s antidumping investigation into pecan imports from Mexico and the United States will be extended by an additional six months. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has set a new conclusion date of March 25, 2027, after the process was initially scheduled to end on September 25th. The Chinese authority attributed the extension to the “complexity of the case.” Consequently, the analysis to determine whether Mexican and US pecans entered the Chinese market under dumping conditions will continue.

The procedure is already having commercial consequences for Mexican exporters. Since August, China has been applying provisional measures ranging from 17.8% to 51.6% on pecans originating from Mexico, while US products face a 54.3% tariff. The provisional decision was made after the Ministry of Commerce determined there were grounds to indicate that the investigated imports were being sold below their value and were harming Chinese producers. The extension of the deadline does not represent a definitive resolution of the case yet.

What’s at Stake for Mexico?

Direct exports of Mexican pecans to China reached $21.9 million in 2024. However, Mexican authorities have indicated that the value related to this market could be higher, as a portion of the production is first shipped to the United States and then re-exported to the Asian country.

The difference in tariffs applied to Mexican companies also reflects their participation in the procedure. According to the information released, several Mexican companies cooperated with the Chinese authorities’ investigation, while none of the consulted US firms responded. The Mexican government has previously expressed its concern over the provisional measures and stated its support for national producers and exporters.

This dispute is also occurring during a period of adjustments in the commercial relationship between the two countries. Mexico recently announced tariffs on certain fertilizer imports from China, although President Claudia Sheinbaum denied that this measure was retaliatory. Concurrently, representatives from both governments have held meetings to discuss the bilateral relationship.

For now, the case concerning Mexican pecans will remain open until March 2027, while exporters face the provisional measures established by Beijing.

The entry

first appears on Líder Empresarial.