Question

Was the establishment of a minimum floor price for tomatoes consistent with the free trade principles enshrined in the NAFTA agreement?

Answer 1

NAFTA or North American Free Trade Agreement talks about Free Trade but has failed to recognize the concept of Fare Trade. Every year thousands of tons of cheap tomatoes are imported by US from Mexico, causing enormous losses to local tomato farmers in the various states like Florida, California. Agriculture is one of the prime sector in the NAFTA agreement since the first round of talks in 1993, the US agricultural imports have been increased upto 400% from $8.9­ billion to $38.1 billion according to The Washington Post. Some of the other points on which negotiations are to be made is dissimilar land & climatic conditions which contribute the major problem of the american farmers. Due to high humidity pest attacks and plant diseases are very common in florida.

Thus, NAFTA Negotians should consider climate change and other natural disasters while considering the minimum support price or minimum floor pricing, keeping in mind the wholistic approach toward agricultural trade.