Storyline: With the U.S. market absorbing nearly all of Mexico's tomato exports, industry experts warn that the U.S. tariff increase could severely disrupt the supply chain, jeopardizing jobs and leading to substantial financial losses for producers and related industries. On April 14, the U.S. Commerce Department announced that starting July 14, a 20.91 percent duty will be applied to most tomatoes imported from Mexico to the United States. A manager from a farm in Baja California, northern Mexico, located about three hours from the U.S.-Mexico border, told China Media Group (CMG) that his farm's tomatoes are primarily intended for the U.S. market. At the beginning of this year, the target was to sell over 136,000 kilograms, but the recent tariff increase has cast doubt on that goal. One of the main tomato varieties produced is heirloom, known for its rich color and flavor. However, its delicate fruit and short shelf life make it unsuitable for long-distance transportation. Priced several times higher than ordinary varieties, heirloom tomatoes do not have a market in Mexico and are primarily exported to the United States. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2023, Mexico's tomato export value exceeded three billion U.S. dollars, with a total export volume of approximately two million tons. The United States accounted for 99.8 percent of these exports. Tomatoes typically take two days only to travel from Mexican fields to American supermarket shelves. However, the well-established, efficient, and cost-effective industrial ecosystem supporting Mexican tomato exports is now facing disruption due to the looming threat of tariffs. Fonseca highlighted that such a tariff policy will not only undermine the export capacity of Mexican farms, but also dampen farmers' willingness to invest. Additionally, it will disrupt the entire supply chain reliant on tomato transportation. From trucking to packaging and distribution, the profits across related industries will decline as orders shrink. Faced with ongoing uncertainty and the pressure of regular costs, some businesses may become unsustainable and be forced to exit the market. Even if the tariff policy changes in the future and is not implemented as currently outlined, the damage to production, sales, and transportation networks will be difficult to repair in the short term. Shotlist: Baja California, Mexico - Recent: 1. Greenhouses 2. Various of tomatoes 3. Various of farm manager checking tomatoes 4. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Laureano Morales, farm manager: "Heirloom tomatoes are almost impossible to sell in Mexico, so if we can't export them, we will face significant losses." Mexico - Recent: 5. Various of trucks at border area 6. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Jorge Fonseca, economist: "It takes years to build a supply chain and make it efficient, but this tariff policy could destroy it in just a few weeks or months." Baja California, Mexico - Recent: 7. Various of tomatoes 8. Various of farmers harvesting tomatoes 9. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Laureano Morales, farm manager: "I have also thought about this problem. If things continue to deteriorate, no one will have a job, and not just our farm, but all of Mexico will be affected, because the situation is really serious now." 10. Various of tomatoes. [Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland]