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Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) released a statement after newly released  International Trade Commission (ITC) reports detailed the effect of squash and cucumber imports on U.S. seasonal markets. U.S. domestic production of cucumbers fell 826,000 metric tons to 636,000 metric tons between 2015 and 2020. The market share held by U.S. growers declined from approximately 50 percent to 40 percent during that same time period, despite the U.S. consumption of cucumbers rising by 24.3 percent. Meanwhile, the volume of cucumber imports from Mexico increased from 652,312 metric tons to 789,175 metric tons. Similarly, the volume of squash imports from Mexico increased from 349,320 metric tons in 2015 to 474,603 metric tons in 2020, while the market share held by U.S. growers declined.

“The reports make clear what we have known for years,” Rubio said. “High-volume fruit and vegetable imports flooding in from Mexico are severely harming American growers and jeopardizing our food security. The Biden Administration must implement immediate, effective, enforceable, and durable remedies to combat unfair trade practices and defend America’s domestic sources of food in the winter and spring months.”