Posts Tagged “Mexican imports”
Fall hurricanes and recent drought combined with other factors have reduced some fresh produce volume in Mexico in recent months, but the value of U.S. imports from the country continues to climb.
U.S. imports of Mexican fresh vegetables in 2023 totaled $8.5 billion, up 7% from 2022 and 13% higher than 2021, according to USDA data. For 2023, the USDA reported Mexico accounted for 69% of the value of U.S. fresh vegetable imports.
By selected commodity, U.S. imports by value of Mexican fresh vegetables (with percent change from 2022) were:
- Tomatoes — $2.7 billion, up 10%.
- Peppers — $1.5 billion, up 7%.
- Cucumbers — $805 million, up 14%.
- Other fresh vegetables — $756 million, up 14%.
- Lettuce — $497 million, down 13%.
- Cauliflower and broccoli — $438 million, up 8%.
- Squash — $408 million, up 1%.
- Onions — $403 million, down 1%.
- Asparagus — $360 million, down 1%.
- Beans — $129 million, up 17%.
- Celery — $87 million, up 9%.
- Eggplant — $83 million, up 8%.
- Carrots — $81 million, up 15%.
- Cabbage — $61 million, up 3%.
- Peas — $47 million, up 43%.
- Garlic — $40 million, up 13%.
- Radishes — $30 million, up 12%.
- Okra — $13 million, up 3%.
U.S. imports of Mexican fresh and frozen fruit topped $9.8 billion in 2023, up 3% from 2022 and 12% higher than 2021. Mexico’s share of U.S. fresh and frozen fruit imports was 49% in 2023, trade numbers show.
By selected commodity, U.S. imports by value of Mexican fresh and frozen fruit (with percent change from 2022) were:
- Avocados — $2.7 billion, down 5%.
- Berries (excluding strawberries) — $2.6 billion, up 4%.
- Strawberries (fresh or frozen) — $1.3 billion, up 6%.
- Citrus — $855 million, up 7%.
- Grapes — $833 million, up 26%.
- Mangoes — $476 million, up 1%.
- Melons — $447 million, up 10%.
- Bananas/plantains — $204 million, down 9%.
- Pineapple — $43 million, down 14%.
Weather and other factors have caused a few hick ups with imported Mexican produce so far this year, while overall volume has been perhaps a little lower, but decent.
Horton Fruit Co. Inc., based in Louisville, KY, also has an office in Irving, TX. It reports the 2023-24 Mexican produce season has been very difficult, with volume affected, resulting in some of the highest markets on record for tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers and squash.
Hurricanes late last year adversely affected plantings, plus low water levels in reservoirs in the Mexican state of Sinaloa and on the Rio Grande created uncertainty over water availability.
For late February, those price levels are unheard of, Wilkins said.
But overall, harvesting and transportation delays have been rare this season.
Horton Fruit handles avocados, bell peppers and cucumbers on a nearly year-round basis.
Between central Mexico, Sinaloa and some of the other areas Horton Fruit is mostly going year-round with tomatoes, hot peppers, bell peppers and cucumbers.
Primo Trading Services of McAllen, TX, reports Mexican onion acreage has decreased due to the lack of enough water.
Due to this problem the company expects fewer imports by the U.S. as well as a very strong Mexico domestic onion market. Primo harvested its first onions in early February], and will continue until mid-to-late April.
Northwest U.S. onion supplies were also at historically low levels in February, which was supporting high prices.
The U.S. imports of many fruits and vegetables are dominated by product from Mexico, with numerous fresh produce commodities showing double-digit gains in value over the last two years, USDA statistics show.
Avocados are the top-valued U.S. fresh produce commodity imported from Mexico, USDA statistics show.
U.S. imports of Mexican avocados totaled $2.9 billion from December 2021 through November 2022, up 13% from the previous year and up 31% from two years ago. Mexican avocados accounted for 88% of the value of all U.S. avocado imports in 2022, down from 91% the previous year but the same percentage as five years ago.
The second-biggest U.S. import category of Mexican produce was berries (excluding strawberries), valued at $2.49 billion from December 2021 through November 2022, up 15% from the previous year and up 37% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for 59% of U.S. berry imports (excluding strawberries) in 2022, up from 58% the previous year and up from 55% five years ago.
Mexican tomatoes were the third-leading U.S. produce import from December 2021 through November 2022, accounting for $2.43 billion. That is up 3% from the previous year and up 3% from two years ago.
Mexico accounted for about 86% of all U.S. tomato imports in 2022, up from 85% the previous year and up from 84% five years ago.
U.S. imports of Mexican fresh peppers totaled $1.44 billion from December 2021 through November 2022, down 3% from the previous year but up 12% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for about 76% of total U.S. fresh pepper imports in 2022, down from 77% the previous year but up from 70% five years ago.
U.S. imports of fresh and frozen strawberries from December 2021 through November 2022 totaled $1.2 billion, down 2% from the previous year but up 24% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for about 85% of total U.S. strawberry imports in 2022, down from 87% a year ago and down from 94% five years ago.
U.S. imports of citrus totaled $788.8 million from December 2021 through November 2022, up 18% from the previous year and up 50% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for 43% of U.S. citrus imports in 2022, up from 42% the previous year and up 39% from five years ago.
U.S. imports of fresh cucumbers totaled $693.4 million from December 2021 through November 2022, up 8% from the previous year and up 13% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for 62% of total U.S. fresh cucumber imports in 2022, down from 64% the previous year and down from 68% five years ago.
U.S. imports of Mexican fresh grapes totaled $659.4 million from December 2021 through November 2022, up 16% from the previous year and up 28% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for 30% of total U.S. grape imports in 2022, down from 31% the previous year and down from 32% five years ago.
U.S. imports of fresh lettuce totaled $532 million from December 2021 through November 2022, up 31% from the previous year and up 52% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for 88% of U.S. fresh lettuce imports in 2022, unchanged from the previous year and up from 85% five years ago.
Mexican mango imports have been steadily rising, USDA statistics show.
From December 2021 through November 2022, U.S. imports of Mexican mangoes were $468 million, up 11% from the previous year and up 24% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for 62% of total U.S. mango imports in 2022, up from 59% the previous year but down from 63% five years ago.
U.S. imports of Mexican fresh melons totaled $410 million from December 2021 through November 2022, up 13% from the previous year and up 20% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for 59% of total U.S. melon imports in 2022, up from 57% the previous year and up from 49% five years ago.
Other U.S. imports of Mexican commodities, with imports from December 2021 through November 2022, with percent change from the previous year, according to USDA statistics:
- Onions: $407 million, up 6%.
- Cauliflower and broccoli: $392 million, up 12%.
- Squash: $381 million, up 5%.
- Asparagus: $365 million, down 9%.
- Bananas and plantains: $221 million, up 4%.
- Beans: $105 million, down 3%.
- Celery: $78 million, up 10%.
- Eggplant: $75.1 million, up 22%.
- Carrots: $70 million, up 40%.
- Cabbage: $58 million, down 3%.
- Pineapple: $51 million, up 29%.
- Garlic: $35 million, up 16%