Mexico City Promotes Nopal Industry With Trade Fair

The Mexico City government will host the 2025 Nopal Fair on June 7 at the Monumento a la Revolución. Organized by Mexico City’s Ministry of Environment (SEDEMA), in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and the Milpa Alta borough,  the fair aims to strengthen collaboration among producers, companies, and institutions while highlighting the economic, cultural, and environmental significance of the nopal industry. 

The event will include product exhibitions, traditional food tastings, natural cosmetics, and other innovations to showcase nopal as a key raw material. It will  also feature the third Nopal Thorn Removal Contest, where participants from major distribution centers, such as the central market in Iztapalapa (CEDA), the Nopal Collection Center in Milpa Alta, and markets like Merced and Jamaica, will showcase their skills in classifying, cleaning, and cutting the cactus. The  Ministry of Tourism and Culture announced that the first-place winner will receive a prize of MX$10,000 (US$580), second place MX$7,000, and third place MX$5,000.

The program also includes conferences on the cultural and nutritional significance of nopal, book presentations, photo exhibitions, and a children’s play area. Additionally, the Contemporary Nopal and Maguey Gastronomy Contest will take place.

“The event recognizes the key role of small producers in food security and biodiversity. It is part of a broader initiative to celebrate agriculture and the Conservation Land in Mexico City,” say the organizers.

Mexico City is the second-largest national producer of nopal (prickly pear cactus), with Milpa Alta borough accounting for more than 94% of the city’s total production. This sector generates over MX$600 million annually and contributes to soil conservation, aquifer recharge, and prevention of urban sprawl.