Beer, fruit and tomatoes: Mexico's farm and food exports to the US

← Mexico Trade Corridor

Mexico Trade Corridor · Product brief · HS chapters 01 to 24

Mexico sells more farm, food and drink to the United States than it buys from it, led by beer, fruit and fresh vegetables. This brief sets out the numbers from both sides, the rules in force, and where growers and brewers need working capital.

Published October 23, 2026 · Facts as of October 23, 2026 · 11 min read · Trade data: UN Comtrade, 2020 to 2025 · Rules as of October 23, 2026

Facts as of October 23, 2026. This page states the facts as they stood on that date. Tariffs, rules and figures may have changed since publication. Tariffs and trade policy change often, so we review these pages every month and update them.

US$43.0bnMexico's exports to the US, 2025, as reported by Mexico

US$45.5bnThe same flow, 2025, as reported by the US

+36.4%Change 2020 to 2025, Mexico data

US$30.7bnMexico's imports from the US in the same chapters, 2025, Mexico data

What is it?

This brief covers HS chapters 01 to 24: live animals, meat, fruit, vegetables, grains, processed food, beverages and tobacco. Mexico reported US$43.0 billion of these exports to the US in 2025 ¹.

Why does it matter?

Farm, food and drink were 7.9% of Mexico's reported exports to the US in 2025 ¹. Most of the goods are perishable, so an inspection pause, a new duty or a closed port reaches growers' cash within days.

How does it work?

Growers and packers in states such as Michoacán and Jalisco ship fresh produce by truck to US distributors ². Constellation Brands is building a Veracruz brewery that will ship beer by sea ¹⁰. US produce buyers must pay promptly under federal rules unless both sides agree other terms in writing ¹⁴.

In this brief

1. How big is Mexico's farm, food and drink trade with the US?
2. Which products lead?
3. Who grows, brews and ships it?
4. How do the goods reach US buyers?
5. Which rules and tariffs apply?
6. Where do growers need cash, and how is it financed?
7. What should farm and food traders watch next?

01How big is Mexico's farm, food and drink trade with the US?

Mexico reported US$43.0 billion of farm, food and drink exports to the US in 2025. That is up 36.4% from US$31.5 billion in 2020, but down 5.6% from US$45.6 billion in 2024 ¹. These goods were 7.9% of Mexico's US$545.4 billion of reported exports to the US ¹.

US data shows more. The US reported US$45.5 billion of imports from Mexico in these chapters in 2025, down 9.4% from 2024 ¹. Our data gap explainer sets out why the two sides differ.

Trade also runs south. Mexico reported US$30.7 billion of farm, food and drink imports from the US in 2025, and US data shows the same rounded figure ¹. On Mexico's figures, the country sold US$12.3 billion more of these goods to the US than it bought. Corn is the largest southbound line: see our corn brief.

Chart

Farm, food and drink trade, both directions, both sides of the data

• Mexico to US, Mexico data
• Mexico to US, US data
• US to Mexico, Mexico data
• US to Mexico, US data

US$ billion. Solid lines: as reported by Mexico. Dashed lines: as reported by the US. Source: UN Comtrade, 2020 to 2025.

02Which products lead?

Beer leads. Mexico reported US$6.1 billion of beer exports to the US in 2025, or 14.1% of all farm, food and drink exports, up 48.0% since 2020 ¹. The line for avocados, mangoes, guavas and other fruit follows at US$4.1 billion. This line combines avocados with other fruit, and the data has no avocado-only figure ¹.

Spirits, including tequila, were US$3.1 billion on Mexico's data and US$3.8 billion on US data ¹. Other fresh vegetables were US$3.0 billion and fresh tomatoes US$2.6 billion. Tomatoes grew only 1.6% from 2020 ¹. Bakery products grew fastest among the top lines, up 81.2% to US$2.5 billion ¹.

The top eight lines made up US$25.2 billion, or 58.6% of the total ¹. For other fresh fruit, a line that includes berries, US data shows US$3.4 billion, twice Mexico's US$1.7 billion. The cause of that gap is not confirmed ¹.

Chart

The largest farm, food and drink lines Mexico ships to the US

US$ billion and share of all farm, food and drink exports (HS chapters 01 to 24), 2025, as reported by Mexico. Source: UN Comtrade.

03Who grows, brews and ships it?

Avocados come from two states. Only Michoacán and Jalisco may export Hass avocados to the US ². Since a September 2024 agreement, Mexico's food safety agency, Senasica, inspects and certifies orchards, while the US animal and plant health service, APHIS, keeps an annual orchard inspection program and jointly oversees packing ².

Tequila has its own rules. Its appellation of origin dates from 1974 and covers 181 municipalities in Jalisco, Michoacán, Guanajuato, Nayarit and Tamaulipas. Only blue agave may be used ⁸. The Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) certifies producers ⁸. In 2025, Mexico exported 405.9 million liters of tequila to 120 markets, and 81.64% went to the US ⁹.

Beer is made by large brewers. Constellation Brands, which sells Modelo and Corona in the US, is building a brewery in Veracruz for the US market. It has hired about 600 people, and the start date depends on tests and permits ¹⁰.

04How do the goods reach US buyers?

Fresh produce crosses by truck. Nogales, Arizona, has long been a main gateway: in the 2014-15 season it handled 5.6 billion pounds of Mexican produce, led by tomatoes, watermelons and cucumbers ¹⁵. Our guide to border crossings covers each port today.

Inspection can stop a trade quickly. In August 2026 the US embassy suspended avocado inspection activities in Michoacán after a security threat. Work restarted in part, and the US announced a full restart on August 13, 2026 ^3,4.

The sale contract sets who pays for each leg and who clears customs, usually through an Incoterms rule. Each load needs a commercial invoice, and a USMCA certification of origin if the importer claims USMCA treatment. Our guide to USMCA rules of origin explains the certificate.

1. Orchard or fieldA grower in Michoacán, Jalisco or another state harvests avocados, tomatoes or vegetables.
2. Packing and inspectionThe packer sorts, cools and boxes the crop. Avocados need orchard and packing house certification.
3. PaperworkThe seller issues the invoice and any certification of origin. A customs broker files the Mexican export declaration.
4. Refrigerated truckThe load crosses at a port such as Nogales, Arizona, or in South Texas, and US inspectors check it.
5. US distributorThe goods reach a distributor, retailer or food processor. Payment is due on the agreed terms.

Mexican fresh produce crosses by truck. In the 2014-15 season Nogales, Arizona handled 5.6 billion pounds of it.

05Which rules and tariffs apply?

Tomatoes carry an antidumping duty. The US ended the 2019 suspension agreement, and an antidumping order took effect on July 14, 2025 ⁵. The "all others" rate of 17.09% applies to most Mexican producers. Company-specific rates range from 2.81% to 273.43% ⁷. The duty is an ad valorem duty, a percentage of the value of each load. On June 30, 2026 the US International Trade Commission found no changed circumstances to justify revoking the order, so it stays in place ^6,7.

The 10% Section 301 tariff on Mexican goods, in force since July 24, 2026, does not apply to goods entered with a USMCA claim ¹⁶. Antidumping duties are charged under their own orders.

Live cattle face port-by-port rules. USDA closed ports to Mexican cattle on May 11, 2025 over New World screwworm ¹¹. A phased reopening began at Douglas, Arizona in early July 2025, and USDA closed the border again on July 9, 2025 after a new case in Veracruz ¹². Imports resumed at Douglas in August 2026 and at Santa Teresa, New Mexico in September 2026 ¹³. All rules here are as of October 23, 2026. The live list is on our corridor watch page.

Rules in force

As of October 23, 2026. Live list: corridor watch.

Measure	What it does	Since	Status
US antidumping order, fresh tomatoes	17.09% "all others" rate for most producers; company rates from 2.81% to 273.43%. USITC kept the order on June 30, 2026 5,6,7	Jul 14, 2025	In force
US Section 301, forced labor	10% on Mexican goods. Exempt with a USMCA claim; goods under Section 232 excluded 16	Jul 24, 2026	In force
Avocado export program, Michoacán and Jalisco	Senasica certifies orchards; APHIS runs annual orchard inspections and jointly oversees packing. Full restart announced after an August 2026 suspension 2,4	Sep 2024	Operating
Live cattle imports, New World screwworm	Ports reopen one by one: Douglas, AZ (Aug 2026), Santa Teresa, NM (Sep 2026). Columbus, NM and Nogales, AZ planned 13	May 11, 2025	Phased reopening
Tequila appellation of origin	181 municipalities in five states; blue agave only; standard NOM-006-SCFI-2012; CRT certifies 8	Dec 9, 1974	In force
PACA prompt payment, fresh produce	Buyers pay promptly; trust rights kept only on agreed terms of 30 days or less after acceptance 14	Current	In force

06Where do growers need cash, and how is it financed?

A grower pays for seed, labor, packing and freight weeks before the buyer pays. Seasonal crops put most of these costs into a few months. A tequila producer holds aged stock for months or years, and a cattle feeder pays for feed before the animals are sold. Our guide to seasonal trade explains the pattern.

US federal rules shape the payment terms for fresh produce. Under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA), buyers must pay promptly. Other terms need a written agreement made before the deal. A seller keeps its PACA trust rights only if the agreed term is 30 days or less after acceptance, and it must give notice within 30 days of the payment deadline ¹⁴. Our guide to payment terms in the corridor goes further.

The US importer pays a duty such as the tomato antidumping duty at entry. That can lead buyers to ask for lower prices or longer terms. Deductions for quality or late delivery can also cut payments: see deductions and chargebacks.

Where the cash goes

From planting to payment

1. Before harvest
   Seed, labor and inputsThe grower pays for planting, irrigation, fertilizer and field workers.
2. Harvest
   Packing and coolingPacking houses pay for boxes, cold storage and certification.
3. Shipment
   Freight and customsRefrigerated trucking and the customs broker are paid. The US importer pays any duty at entry.
4. Invoice
   Waiting for paymentUnder PACA, a seller keeps its trust rights only on agreed terms of 30 days or less after acceptance ¹⁴.
5. Payment
   Cash returnsQuality claims or price adjustments can cut the payment. The grower then funds the next season.

The order of cash needs is typical for a fresh produce grower. Beer, tequila and beef run on different cycles, and actual days depend on each contract.

Before harvestPre-shipment finance

Funds planting, packing and production against a confirmed order or season plan.

After invoiceFactoring or invoice discounting

The seller sells or borrows against its unpaid invoices. See factoring in Mexico.

Buyer may not payTrade credit insurance

Covers most of an unpaid invoice if a covered buyer fails to pay.

Stock held for monthsInventory finance

Funds aged tequila or cattle on feed, secured on the stock itself.

07What should farm and food traders watch next?

USMCA stays in force. On July 1, 2026 the US did not agree to renew it in its current form, so the agreement now goes through annual joint reviews until 2036 unless the three countries confirm an extension ¹⁷. For farm trade, the cattle port reopenings and the tomato order matter most in the coming months. The live list of measures is on our corridor watch page.

• Oct 26, 2026Planned restart of Mexican cattle imports at Columbus, New Mexico, if conditions hold. USDA reported 56 US screwworm cases since June, 5 active, as of October 20, 2026 ¹³.
• Nov 30, 2026Planned restart of Mexican cattle imports at Nogales, Arizona, if conditions hold ¹³.
• PendingAny US Commerce Department administrative review or court appeal of the tomato antidumping order ^6,7.
• PendingStart of Constellation Brands' Veracruz brewery for the US market, which depends on tests and permits ¹⁰.
• Jul 1, 2036USMCA ends on this date unless the three countries confirm an extension. Annual reviews run until then ¹⁷.

Questions traders ask

How much food and drink does Mexico export to the US?

Mexico reported US$43.0 billion of farm, food and drink exports to the US in 2025, across HS chapters 01 to 24. US data shows US$45.5 billion of imports from Mexico. Mexico also imported US$30.7 billion of these goods from the US.

What is Mexico's largest food and drink export to the US?

Beer, at US$6.1 billion in 2025 as reported by Mexico. The line that includes avocados, mangoes and other fruit was next at US$4.1 billion, followed by spirits, including tequila, at US$3.1 billion.

What duty do Mexican tomatoes pay in the US?

Fresh tomatoes from Mexico are subject to a US antidumping order in force since July 14, 2025. The "all others" rate of 17.09% applies to most producers, and company-specific rates range from 2.81% to 273.43%. The US International Trade Commission kept the order in June 2026.

Can Mexican cattle enter the US?

Only at some ports. USDA closed ports in May 2025 over New World screwworm. A July 2025 reopening was halted on July 9, 2025. Imports resumed at Douglas, Arizona in August 2026 and Santa Teresa, New Mexico in September 2026. Columbus, New Mexico is planned for October 26, 2026 and Nogales, Arizona for November 30, 2026, if conditions hold.

How fast must US buyers pay for Mexican produce?

Under PACA, buyers must pay promptly. Longer terms need a written agreement before the deal, and a seller keeps its PACA trust rights only if the agreed term is 30 days or less after acceptance.

Read next

• Corridor hubThe Mexico to US corridor: what moves and how it is paid for
• Corridor hubCorridor watch: tariffs and rules in force
• Corridor guideUSMCA rules of origin and certificates
• Corridor guidePayment terms in the corridor: open account and the alternatives
• Corridor guideFactoring in Mexico: how exporters sell invoices for cash
• Product briefCorn: the US grain that feeds Mexico's mills and farms
• Ossiano Trade Finance GuideHow each trade finance instrument works
• GlossaryTrade finance terms in plain English

Trading farm, food or drink between Mexico and the US? Ossiano Capital works on trade finance in this corridor.

Start the Conversation

Sources and notes

1. UN Comtrade, annual trade data 2020 to 2025, HS chapters 01 to 24, Mexico and the US as reporters. Downloaded October 2026; 2025 figures may be revised. https://comtradeplus.un.org/
2. Mexico News Daily, US and Mexico agree on avocado orchard inspections, September 17, 2024. https://mexiconewsdaily.com/?p=384354
3. Standard Media (AFP), US partially resumes avocado inspections in Mexico, August 2026. https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/world/article/2001554826/us-partially-resumes-avocado-inspections-in-mexico
4. AJOT, US fully restarts activities in Mexico's avocado hub after security scare, August 13, 2026. https://www.ajot.com/news/us-fully-restarts-activities-in-mexicos-avocado-hub-after-security-scare
5. Growing Produce, Tomato suspension agreement is officially over, July 2025. https://www.growingproduce.com/?p=176529
6. Fresh Fruit Portal, USITC decision on Mexican tomatoes, June 30, 2026. https://www.freshfruitportal.com/news/2026/06/30/usitc-tomato-mx/
7. FreshPlaza, U.S. keeps antidumping duties on Mexican tomatoes, August 20, 2026. https://www.freshplaza.com/north-america/article/9864925/u-s-keeps-antidumping-duties-on-mexican-tomatoes/
8. Consejo Regulador del Tequila, Appellation of origin. https://crt.org.mx/?p=4721
9. Expansion, Mexican tequila expands in Europe, Asia and the US, July 25, 2026. https://expansion.mx/empresas/2026/07/25/tequila-mexicano-expansion-europa-asia-estados-unidos
10. La Razon, Constellation Brands advances its Veracruz brewery, July 31, 2026. https://www.razon.com.mx/negocios/2026/07/31/constellation-brands-avanza-en-su-cerveceria-de-veracruz/
11. USDA, Phased reopening of Mexican cattle imports, 2025. https://www.usda.gov/node/64621
12. Farm Policy News (University of Illinois), US pauses restart of Mexican cattle imports due to screwworm, July 10, 2025. https://farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2025/07/us-pauses-restart-of-mexican-cattle-imports-due-to-screwworm/
13. Reuters via GV Wire, USDA plans to resume imports of Mexican cattle at more ports of entry, October 20, 2026. https://gvwire.com/2026/10/20/usda-plans-to-resume-imports-of-mexican-cattle-at-more-ports-of-entry/
14. 7 CFR 46.46, Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act regulations, via Cornell Legal Information Institute. https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/7/46.46
15. HortiDaily, Tomatoes, watermelons top imports coming through Nogales, AZ, February 12, 2016. https://www.hortidaily.com/article/6024139/us-az-tomatoes-watermelons-top-imports-coming-through-nogales-az/
16. EY Tax News, USTR finalizes Section 301 forced labor tariffs on 60 economies, July 2026. https://taxnews.ey.com/news/2026-1607-ustr-finalizes-section-301-forced-labor-tariffs-on-60-economies-additional-tariffs-of-10-percent-or-125-percent-take-effect-24-july-2026
17. White & Case, USMCA 2026 joint review: United States declines to extend agreement, July 2, 2026. https://www.whitecase.com/insight-alert/usmca-2026-joint-review-united-states-declines-extend-agreement-triggering-annual

Trade values are US dollars from UN Comtrade at the 4-digit HS level unless a 6-digit line is named. Mexico and the US record the same shipments under different rules for value, country of origin and timing, so their figures differ. Percent changes compare 2025 with 2020. All facts on this page are as of October 23, 2026, the date of publication, and may have changed since. Rules and tariffs are as of October 23, 2026 and change often: check the corridor watch before you act.

About this brief. Prepared for Ossiano Capital. People planned, researched, wrote and checked this brief, using AI tools to help with research and checking. You are welcome to quote or reuse it: please credit Ossiano Capital and link to this page.