After seven years of negotiations, French apples could be closer than ever to gaining access to the Mexican market, as Trump’s tariffs encourage greater cooperation outside the US
The French minister delegate for foreign trade, Laurent Saint-Martin, met last week with Mexico’s minister of agriculture, Julio A. Berdegué, with the two discussing prospects for trade and investment between the two countries in the agricultural sector.
On LinkedIn, Alexandre Martin, an agriculture counsel for Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador at the French embassy in Mexico, spoke of “an international context that is driving this country, more than ever, to diversify its trading partners”, a reference to the potential impact of US tariffs introduced by president Trump.
“This meeting opened up promising and operational prospects for trade and investment between our two countries in the agricultural sector,” said Martin.
Discussions centred on the opening of the Mexican market for French apples, after seven years of negotiations, the facilitation of health issues that currently hinder market access, and the “establishment of a mechanism to jointly identify opportunities offered by the modernised agreement between the EU and Mexico”.
The meeting also looked at strengthening cooperation on Geographical Indications to accelerate their deployment in Mexico, as well as an agreement to facilitate the introduction in Mexico of Elicit Plant technology to reduce water consumption for crops.
President of French association Interfel Daniel Sauvaître attended the meeting, describing it as an “excellent day for exchanges between our two countries”.
