Mexico: Agri-food trade balance reaches a surplus of USD 4,857 million in the first half of 2021

In the first half of 2021, Mexico's agri-food trade balance saw a surplus of USD 4,857 million, marking the third highest positive balance in 27 years. This was attributed to agricultural and agro-industrial exports valued at USD 22,588 million and imports at USD 17,731 million, resulting in a total trade value of USD 40,319 million. The resilience of the agri-food sector during the 2020 COVID-19 crisis, which caused an 8.2% contraction in GDP, was highlighted. The report emphasized that the surplus was primarily driven by the balance in agriculture and fisheries, with vegetables, beverages, and fruits being the main export groups. Additionally, demand for honey, flowers, citrus, tobacco, and peanuts abroad experienced significant increases. In terms of agribusiness, there was a notable growth in the sales of meat, poultry offal, soybean oil, soups, waters and soft drinks, tequila and mezcal, and frozen orange juice. The imports with the highest increases were primarily primary products.