Mexico criticizes US threat to restrict livestock imports

Mexico City: Mexico on Monday criticized a threat by US President Donald Trump s administration to restrict livestock imports over a pest control row,...

Mexico City: Mexico on Monday criticized a threat by US President Donald Trump's administration to restrict livestock imports over a pest control row, fanning tensions between the major trade partners.

Trump's Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins warned in a letter released Saturday that Washington would restrict imports of live cattle unless Mexico acts to help control a screwworm fly outbreak by Wednesday.

She said that Washington was "very concerned" about the countries' joint campaign against the outbreak in southern Mexico.

The United States complained that its southern neighbor was restricting US-contracted planes that release sterile screwworm flies to operating six days a week instead of seven.

It also accused Mexican authorities of imposing "substantial import duties" on aviation parts, equipment and sterile fly shipments needed for the operations.