U.S. Horticultural Imports from Mexico: 14 Years of Expansion from 2007–09 to 2021–23

This economic brief explores changes in U.S. horticultural imports from Mexico between 2007–09 and 2021–23. These imports grew significantly during the period studied, boosting U.S. per capita availability of a wide range of fresh produce. This growing trade was accompanied by shifts in U.S. horticultural production, including declines for some types of fruit and vegetables. In real terms (2023 U.S. dollars), U.S. horticultural imports from Mexico grew from an annual average of $7.3 billion during 2007–09 to $19.7 billion during 2021–23. Imports increased for all 20 of the leading horticultural imports from Mexico—with avocados, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and lettuce increasing the most in terms of their shares of total U.S. horticultural imports from Mexico. An expansion of Mexicoʼs production made possible the increase in U.S. horticultural imports from Mexico, to the extent that for some products (blueberries, chile peppers, lettuce, blackberries, cauliflower, and broccoli, for example), Mexicoʼs horticultural sector became more oriented towards the U.S. market. In the cases of avocados and blueberries, the increase in imports began when the U.S. markets for these products were just starting to undergo substantial growth, rather than when those markets were mature and growing slowly.