Source:  Andre Sulluchuco, MEATINGPLACE, 7/18/11

The Mexican Ministry of Economy (or Secretaría de Economia, SE) is launching an investigation to see if the U.S. rightly sells its poultry products at the market price, La Voz de la Frontera reports.

Alberto Sánchez Quiroz, co-delegate from Mexicali (Baja California state) affirmed that the SE will impose a tariff of 35 percent if any faulty findings arise.

Jorge Arenas Cervantes, the president of the National Chamber of Commerce (Canaco) of Mexicali, said that the SE is studying this possibility, which will ultimately affect consumers, restaurants, and other related industries in Mexicali.

"The world trade organization agreement makes reference to a practice, known as anti-dumping…this is when a foreign company sells a product below market price," he said.

Cervantes said that if the investigations show that poultry products are entering Mexico below market price, they will get a tariff high enough to be equal with industry prices.

He added that once the first deadline is met, the SE will have 180 additional days to complete its investigations. Its representatives will be in the U.S. during this time to identify any illegal practices.

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