Mexico’s berry exports could overthrow avocados

In the past five years, Mexico’s berry exports— cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries —experienced exponential growth. Should this trend continue, berries could overthrow avocados as the most popular farm product sent abroad.

“Beer is the most important agro-export product. On the other hand, avocado showed a decrease in value, going from USD$2.8 billion to USD$2.4 billion, as per price and not volume. Berry exports now have a market value of USD$2.24 billion,” said the chairman of the National Association of Berry Exporters (Aneberries), Aldo Mares .

Malt beer exports from January to November 2018 rose to USD$4.19 billion

; during said period, avocado exports showed a value of USD$2.39 billion; tomato exports rose to USD$1.81 billion, and tequila showed a market value of USD$1.45 billion, according to the Ministry of Economy and Mexico’s Central Bank.

Mares explained that berry exports had shown a significant increase. “We’ve seen an exponential growth in the past five years. Five years ago, berry exports were valued at USD$1 billion while last year, they showed a value of USD$2.24 billion. ”

The berry industry in Mexico generates more than 350,000 jobs.

This is mostly due to a growing demand from countries such as the United States, Canada, and Italy, though it is also due to the fact that berry exports became more diversified. Now Mexico sells berries to other regions in South America, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.

According to Aneberries, exports grew 16.56% between 2017 and 2018. The shipping of fresh cranberries grew 31.55%; Raspberry and blackberry exports grew 12.71%, while strawberries showed a 3.20% drop.

Mexican exports of said fruits currently reach more than 34 countries.

Mexican government boosts avocado production

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