USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Information Network reports that Mexico has become one of our largest and fastest-growing trading partners. The report shows exports of consumer-oriented products to Mexico reached almost 6.5-billion dollars in 2010 - making the country the United States' third-largest export market. U.S. agricultural and food exports to Mexico have been climbing at an average rate of almost 10-percent per year.
During the first 10 calendar months of 2011 - U.S. exports to Mexico were up 27-percent - while Mexican exports to the United States were up 17-percent from the previous year. At the same time - the U.S. market accounts for 75-percent of all Mexican exports - while the United States provides Mexico with 61-percent of its imports. Fresh fruit and vegetables account for the largest share of Mexican imports to the United States at 42-percent of the total.
According to the GAIN report - in terms of value - beef is America's top consumer-oriented food export to Mexico. Even without full market access for some products - such as ground beef - in 2010 the U.S. exported 1.64-million metric tons of beef valued at 644-million dollars to the country. The five-year annual growth rate in beef exports to Mexico is 25-percent. Still - poultry tops beef in volume of exports to Mexico - 2.5-million metric tons in 2010 - but at a lower value total of 595-million dollars.
