Consumers will pay twice as much for tomatoes if the Obama administration ends a pricing accord with Mexico, according to a study from an American importers group.

U.S. prices of so-called hothouse vine tomatoes would jump to almost $5 a pound from an average of about $2.50 a pound after the 17-year-old agreement ends, triggering limits on imports, according to the study released today by the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas. Mexico’s government opposes ending the deal.

The Commerce Department in September, responding to a complaint from U.S. growers, issued a preliminary decision to end the accord, which has set the price for imports of tomatoes from Mexico since 1996. Mexican officials then threatened to retaliate. The Nogales, Arizona-based importers group has dubbed the dispute a “tomato trade war.” The agency’s final decision is expected later this year.

“This is like playing Russian roulette with America’s pocketbook,” Lance Jungmeyer, the group’s president, said today in a statement.

via U.S. Tomato Prices Seen Doubling Without Mexico Accord – Bloomberg.