Mexico has demanded a scientific explanation for last week’s decision by the US to halt imports of Mexican lemons.

Confirming the news, Alberto Cárdenas Jiménez of Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture, Ranching, Rural Development, Fisheries, and Food supply (SAGARPA) called on the US authorities to back its decision with hard evidence.

“As in the case of tomatoes, the US authorities should inform with a scientific base and hear the Mexican version in order to advance quickly and reduce losses,” he said.

In the wake of the closure, Mexico has stepped up controls of fruit bound for the US, in particularly citrus coming from Tamaulipas, in order to avoid a possible propagation of citrus illnesses. A series of meetings are planned for the next few days with the association of producers to ensure that the measures are properly carried out. Tamaulipas produces approximately 65 per cent of the Italian lemons consumed in the US.

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