A World Trade Organization panel on Tuesday ruled that Mexico unfairly imposed antidumping tariffs on U.S. rice, rejecting a Mexican appeal against a previous ruling.

Mexico imposed the tariffs on U.S. white long grain rice in June 2002, claiming it was being sold in Mexico at unfairly low prices, damaging Mexican producers.

U.S. officials raised the issue before the WTO a year later. In its ruling, the appellate body said Mexico must bring its measures into line with WTO rules.

In 2002, Mexico imported $103 million in rice from the U.S., making it the largest foreign market for U.S. rice.