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Mexico is a major participant in international agricultural trade.
In the broad category of agri-food products (agriculture, livestock,
hunting, fishing, food, beverages, and tobacco), Mexico's total
exports (to all countries) approached $16.9 billion in 2008. Corresponding
imports in 2008 totaled about $23.2 billion. The United States
is Mexico's largest agri-food trading partner, buying 78 percent
of Mexican exports and supplying 76 percent of
the country's imports in this category.
Agricultural trade between Mexico and the United States encountered a turning
point in the late 1980s when Mexico emerged from a period of economic difficulties
and adopted a series of trade reforms. In 1986, Mexico agreed to join the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the predecessor to the World Trade Organization.
In the early 1990s, Mexico lowered a number of agricultural trade barriers, and
in 1994, Mexico joined Canada and the United States in implementing the North
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In addition, Mexico has forged free-trade
accords with about 40 other countries.
With a growing population, an expanding economy, and a more market-oriented
agricultural sector, Mexico has become the third-largest agricultural
trading partner of the United States (following Canada and the
27 countries of the European Union) in terms of exports and imports
combined. In 2008, Mexico accounted for about 13.9 percent of U.S.
agricultural exports and 13.5 percent of imports, as defined and
categorized by USDA. Between 1993 (the last year prior to NAFTA's
implementation) and 2008, U.S. agricultural exports to Mexico expanded
at a compound annual rate of 10.4 percent, while agricultural imports
from Mexico grew at a rate of 9.7 percent.
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U.S.-Mexico agricultural trade is largely complementary, meaning
that the United States tends to export different commodities
to Mexico than Mexico exports to the United States. Grains, oilseeds,
meat, and related products make up about four-fifths of U.S.
agricultural exports to Mexico. Mexico does not produce enough
grains and oilseeds to meet internal demand, so the country's
food and livestock producers import sizable volumes of these
commodities to make value-added products, primarily for the domestic
market.
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Almost 70 percent of U.S. agricultural imports from Mexico consists
of beer, vegetables, and fruit. These imports are closely tied
to Mexico's historical expertise in producing alcoholic beverages
and a wide range of fruits and vegetables, along with a favorable
climate whose growing season largely complements that of the United
States.
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Selected U.S. agricultural
exports to Mexico
Selected U.S. agricultural
imports from Mexico
To view more detailed U.S.-Mexico agricultural trade statistics,
go to USDA Foreign Agricultural Service's U.S.
Trade Internet System.
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