WTO: Concern voiced at WTO over American avocado levy threat

Chile, New Zealand and Mexico, have expressed concern at the World Trade Organisation's Agriculture Committee about new United States legislation, (namely, the Agriculture Appropriations Act for fiscal 2001), which includes the creation of a marketing board for avocado, which could entail a possible levy, (25 cents per pound), being skimmed from sales in the US. The complaining countries said that the new board could present an additional barrier to trade and questioned whether it would serve the interests of all avocado suppliers. A Washington DC representative said that regulations to implement the provision were still being drafted and "welcomed comments from supplying countries."