GENEVA, June 6: A World Trade Organization panel on Monday ruled in favour of the United States in a dispute with Mexico over import restrictions that hit US beef and long-grain rice.

The WTO dispute settlement panel found that Mexico’s imposition of anti-dumping duties breached international trade rules and called on Mexico to abide by them.

Monday marked the official release of the panel’s decision.

The panel’s report was issued to the US and Mexico last month, and the Mexican economics ministry had said it planned to appeal.

Mexico claimed US beef and rice were being “dumped,” or sold at unfairly low prices, on its market.

The US disputed the claim and said Mexico used flawed data to calculate the alleged damage to its own producers.

Mexican authorities imposed anti-dumping duties on US beef in April 2000, and on white long-grain rice in June 2002, and amended those duties in December 2002.

Washington filed its complaint with the WTO in 2003.—AFP