Mexico and Japan Discuss Expanding Agri-Food Trade

Representatives from the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Japanese External Trade Organization (JETRO), and the Japanese Embassy in Mexico have initiated talks to identify opportunities for expanding agri-food trade between Mexico and Japan.

In the first meeting, participants highlighted Mexico's productive and sanitary strengths and the potential of its meat industry. The Mexican livestock sector is recognized globally for its certification, quality, and advanced phytosanitary and zoosanitary practices, making Mexico a leader in meat production and agricultural, aquaculture, and fishing sub-sectors, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Juan Bernardo Orozco, Director of Economic Studies in the Agri-Food Sector, International Affairs Coordination Office, noted Japan's interest in Mexico as a reliable supplier of meat and other foods. He highlighted the collaborative efforts and active participation of the meat industry, including Mexican Beef, Mexican Pork, the National Poultry Union (UNA), and the National Association of Federal Inspection Type Establishments (Anetif). This cooperation has improved the understanding of Mexico's quality products.

Tsukasa Hirota, Minister-Counselor, Japanese Embassy in Mexico, emphasized the successful cooperation and linkage between agri-food companies and exporters since the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement between Mexico and Japan. Additionally, he called for continued synergy to achieve further success with the government and industry.

Hirota stressed the need to invest in infrastructure to address the negative effects of climate change on the agri-food sector and to work toward environmental protection, sustainability, human rights, and animal welfare, which are important to Japanese importers and consumers.

Japan is Mexico's second-largest trading partner for agricultural and fishery products. Last year, Mexico exported pork, avocado, beef, bananas, agave distillates, orange juice, asparagus, tuna, kabocha squash, processed citrus, mango, blueberries, Persian lime, and table grapes to Japan, among other products. In recent years, agri-food exports have grown by 12.4%, making Mexico the twelfth-largest food producer globally, the seventh-largest exporter, and among the top five countries with reliable sanitary status in livestock production, according to Salvador Behar Lavalle, Legal Commissioner for Foreign Trade of the National Agricultural Council (CNA). 

The meeting concluded with plans to organize promotional activities to expand trade opportunities between Mexican and Japanese importers and exporters. This includes participating in the 50th edition of the Foodex Agri-Food Fair in Tokyo in 2025.