Industry profile

Agriculture and Food in Mexico

Mexico has developed an important food sector, which is distinguished by its safety, healthiness, variety, certified quality, taste and nutritional value.

The mexican food industry has two main sectors: 1) fresh foods, and 2) processed foods, beverages and tobacco.

Its great size and breadth is illustrated by the leading position that many of its products hold in the world market:

• The 12th producer and exporter in this sector.

• The main producer, exporter and consumer of avocado.

• The main producer and exporter of lemons.

• The main exporter of papaya, squash, raspberry, blackberry, mulberry, watermelon and cantaloupe melon.

• The leading exporter of organic coffee, processed bell peppers, agave syrup and inulin.

• The second largest exporter of onions, chickpeas and tomato.

• The third leading exporter of cucumbers.

• The fourth largest producer of chicken.

• The fourth main exporter of strawberry, mango, guava and orange concentrate.

• The fifth leading producer and exporter of beans.

• The world's fifth main producer and second exporter of beer.

• The fifth leading exporter of cauliflower, shrimp and honey.

• And the sixth leading exporter of citrus fruit ¹.

Organic production

Mexico is one of the world's leading producers of agricultural organic products. It's the world's top producer of organic coffee and the surface of certified agricultural land for organic production rose from 86,000 hectares in 2000 to over 400,000 hectares in 2007. Exports of organic produce topped 400 million dollars in 2007.

Besides coffee, it also exports organic honey, cocoa, vegetable and tropical fruits.

Agriculture and Food Industry: Mexico's strenghts

Safety and healthiness

• The food sector in Mexico has invested in technology and processes that considerably reduce the risks of contamination and toxic residues in foods.

• Many Mexican farmers comply with the most important health certifications at world level, such as Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), HACCP ², FDA ³, among others, which make it possible for Mexican products to be synonymos with trust, safety and quality.

• In Mexico, the systematic applications of the above - mentioned national and international standards requirements (such as HACCP or FDA) guarantee the safety of meat and processed products of Mexican origin.

Qualified workforce

In Mexico there are more than 750,000 trained engineers. Over 30 universities offer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Agronomy, Food Engineering and Food Chemistry. Alliances between industry and academia make it possible for Mexico to continually evaluate and incorporate new technologies into the food production chain.

Biotechnology

Mexico has developed and outstanding biotechnology research network. It is among the world's leading nations in the field of crops with genetic improvement and hybridization.

Designation of origin

A product with a protected designation of origin (also know as protected geographical status) is one which is recognized as having superior quality as a consequence of its unique characteristics, due to the geographical milieu in which the raw materials are produced or to the place where the products are made and to the influence of the human factor which participates in production.

Mexico has eleven designations of origin in this sector:

• Bacanora, alcoholic beverage made in the state of Sonora

• Coffee from Chiapas

• Coffee from Veracruz

• Charanda, alcoholic beverage from the state of Michoacan

• Habanero, chili peppers from the Yucatan peninsula

• Ataulfo mango from the Soconusco region of Chiapas

• Mezcal, another alcoholic beverage

• Sotol, alcoholic beverage from the state of Chihuahua

• Tehuacan, an alcohol - free beverage from state of Puebla

• Tequila

• Vanilla from the Papantla region

1 Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food / United Nations Foof and Agriculture Organization (FAO) / Global Trade Atlas.

2 Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)

3 US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)