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NICARAGUA BEANS EMBARGOED, AS MEXICO RENIGS ON TRADE AGREEMENT.

Article Excerpt
Nicaragua has threatened to halt the importation of certain Mexican goods in reprisal for Mexico's having locked out black beans coming from the Central American country (see SourceMex, 2003-12-03). Agriculture and Forestry (Magfor) Minister Jose Augusto Navarro said in Managua that he was already drawing up a list of the most sensitive products coming from Mexico and scheduling them for exclusion, if Mexico continues to bar Nica products in alleged violation of a free-trade agreement (FTA) that exists between the two countries (see NotiCen, 1997-09-25).

Navarro said that his action would be coordinated with a complaint that the Ministry of Promotion, Industry and Commerce (Mific) will file with the World Trade Organization (WTO). "We're going to take several measures, because President Vicente Fox practically ordered that Nicaraguan agricultural products remain banned, in violation of the FTA."

Navarro said that, under the bilateral treaty, Nicaragua is entitled to export 4,500 tons of beans. The treaty has been in effect since 1998 and has provided Nicaraguan farmers with an incentive to increase black-bean plantings. Mexico's refusal to accept the beans will result in severe hardship for the producers.

Bean merchants also face economic problems. James Falla, a dealer in beans, warned that he and others in his business would go broke if the prohibitions remained in force. Falla was involved...

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