Mexican sugar lobby calls for US fructose antidumping probe

MEXICO CITY: Mexico's sugar industry association (CNIAA) submitted a request last week for a government investigation into suspected anti-dumping by US fructose producers selling to Mexico, a person familiar with the matter said.

The CNIAA said earlier this month there was evidence to carry out a "solid" probe on fructose, which enters Mexico tariff-free, unlike Mexican sugar going to the United States.

"The request for an investigation was submitted last week to the economy ministry," the source said.

The ministry did not immediately respond for comment.

The two countries have been locked in a dispute since the US sugar industry started pressing its government last year to withdraw from a 2014 deal that sets prices and quotas for US imports of Mexican sugar unless the deal can be renegotiated.

The US sugar lobby wants Mexico to export less refined sugar, sources have told Reuters.

The two neighbors have set a June 5 deadline to reach a deal, failing which, tit-for-tat duties could be imposed.