Although Growers Union supplies berries to the United States to fill winter gaps, López says there is some overlap with domestic production. “We only deal with Mexican berries from October through May,” he explains, “when there’s an overlap of Mexican and U.S. blueberries, it drives down prices.” Nevertheless, he hopes American consumers will recognize the quality of Mexican blueberries, and demand for the berries will continue to rise in the future.
Mango Madness
Mexico is the top exporter of mangos worldwide, and the sweet stone fruit is produced commercially in growing regions across the country. Production hovers around 2 million tons of mangos each year, with a large portion of this bounty exported to countries across the globe.
Last year, Mexico set a new record for exports of fresh and dehydrated mangos to the United States, with a combined total value of $334 million. Fresh mango exports reached $278 million—the highest in history. Each year, the state of Michoacán alone ships more than 42,000 tons of mangos to the United States and 6,000 tons to Canada.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the unprecedented increase in Mexico’s mango exports are the result of high-quality, flavorful fruit and top-notch food safety and phytosanitary standards. The Ministry reports that Mexico’s top three mango exporters, the states of Sinaloa, Michoacán, and Nayarit, have been deemed free of the fruit fly—a major mango pest.
Other Commodities on the Move
Despite the immense popularity of avocados, berries, and mangos, Mexico has many other produce exports filling trucks each day—as evidenced by the millions of tons of fruit and vegetables shipped north to the United States and Canada.
