Mexican court blocks import of potatoes from the United States

A Mexican federal court has made an unusual ruling that bans the import of potatoes from the United States on the grounds the imports violate Mexicans’ right to food sovereignty and a healthy environment.

A group of Mexican potato growers had sought a constitutional injunction on the imports, claiming they threaten to spread agricultural diseases.

The court said Mexican agricultural authorities had failed to use methods like radiation treatment of the imported potatoes to prevent diseases.

But because federal injunctions are intended only to protect constitutional rights, the ruling had to break some new ground.

The court ruled the ban must be implemented to preserve Mexicans’ collective rights to “preserve food sovereignty and the health of Mexican crop fields.”

The agriculture department had no immediate comment on the ruling.