Lemons Caught In a Squeeze

Ricardo Martin, co-owner of Pampa Store, a fruit export company based in Buenos Aires, wants to be compensated for the lemons he lost. (Fabricio Di Dio For The Washington Post)

The lemon containers were removed, and their contents destroyed, after the ship was finally allowed to dock on Aug. 6.

"Although all these tests were coming back negative, there was always this lingering concern that maybe there's something in there," Benson said.

Clues about what might really be going on soon emerged, though, as federal investigators learned that during the time the lemons were on the high seas, Martin's Buenos Aires firm, Pampa Store, had become embroiled in a quarrel with the Montreal-based company, Apex Corp., which had agreed to buy the fruit.

Apex "did not want to accept the terms we had previously agreed upon," said Martin, who asserted that once he began searching for a new buyer, Apex began threatening him.

Contacted by phone, Andy Ohri, Apex's head buyer, blamed the Argentines, asserting that Martin's representative was "unable to sell" the lemons despite contacting numerous other buyers in Montreal. Although Ohri emphasized that he did not know who sent the e-mail, "they [Martin's firm] just wanted, maybe, to collect money from insurance," he said. Nonsense, retorted Martin: "These lemons were not insured, so that would not have been a smart move on our part."

Jamie Zuieback, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said an investigation is underway to determine who sent the e-mail, and whether they should be charged with a federal crime.

The bigger issue, said Christopher L. Koch, president of the World Shipping Council, a trade group that represents the shipping industry, is that "every rumor that someone wants to plant cannot stop commerce like this one did, or commerce will not move." He said his group has arranged "some sessions" with government officials to discuss "a preexisting plan so that if something like this happens, here's how we're going to do it."

Whether the Coast Guard is ready to take that message on board remains to be seen. Agency officials point out in this case that nobody got sick, that consumer confidence in lemons was never shaken, and that public safety has to be their priority.

"The challenge is to find ways to maintain safety while being expeditious about resolving cases like this," Benson said. "That's why we're doing this 'lessons learned' work. There may be some creative solutions out there. We're working on that."

Martin said he was pleased to learn late last week from the Argentine embassy in Washington that the Coast Guard has provided instructions on how he can apply for compensation.

Not only did his firm lose its lemons, but mandarin oranges and some other fruit went bad because of the delay. In addition, a customer in Miami who has bought asparagus in the past "wrote us an e-mail and said that he is not interested in doing a program this year, due to this issue," Martin said. "He's scared that the merchandise is going to be inspected and that he is going to have a hard time selling it.

"I understand that [U.S. officials] have to take these threats and do everything possible," Martin said. "I just think . . . at least you should know who is telling you these things so you could come back and say, 'Look, you told me this; show me proof,' not just this anonymous e-mail arriving somewhere saying there is something in these five containers and have all this big mess."

Blustein reported from Washington, and special correspondent Byrnes reported from Buenos Aires.