Mexico Strengthens Organic Production, Trade

Mexico’s organic food sector continues to gain traction, as more producers adopt stricter certification standards and international equivalency agreements strengthen consumer trust and open new trade opportunities amid rising global demand.

During the Tenth Annual Meeting 2025 between Mexico’s National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) and Organic Certification Bodies (OCBs), authorities acknowledged that a growing number of producers are adhering to the Organic Products Law (LPO), which provides consumers with guarantees regarding the integrity of this type of food.

Thanks to the work of 40,000 small and medium-scale producers and 21 certification bodies, organic food production has maintained strong momentum. In 2025, more than 370 fresh products of plant and animal origin were produced, along with more than 1,700 processed organic products.

Participants noted that the ongoing evaluation carried out by Organic Certification Bodies of producers operating under the LPO and authorized to use the “Organic Mexico” seal helps combat the falsification of organic products. This process also provides certainty for consumers and added value for goods, enabling producers to access better national and international markets.

It was also highlighted that Mexico and Canada currently exchange organic products without the need for double certification, as their systems are recognized as equivalent. This arrangement simplifies and speeds up import and export processes while reducing costs, particularly for small- and medium-scale producers.

In 2024, both countries renewed the Memorandum of Understanding for the Recognition of Equivalence in Organic Products, which will remain in force until 2027. This agreement maintains the harmonization of technical requirements and certification and oversight procedures that safeguard the organic integrity of agricultural products.

Organic production in Mexico spans 210,504 hectares, mainly across the states of Chiapas, Sonora, Jalisco, Sinaloa, Baja California, Michoacan, and Oaxaca. Of this total area, 33% is dedicated to coffee crops, 16% to avocado, orange, mango, and agave cultivation, while the remaining 51% is distributed among products such as coconut, sesame, peanut, safflower, walnut, grape, lime, asparagus, quinoa, strawberry, banana, corn, celery, raspberry, and others.

Additionally, certified organic wild harvesting covers 271,799 hectares. Quintana Roo leads this segment with gum harvesting, followed by Jalisco with agave collection, Campeche also with chicle, and Baja California with yucca. Regarding certification of animal-origin products, notable items include honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, eggs, chicken meat, goat and bovine milk, and beef.

Furthermore, approximately 1,700 processed products are already certified, including juices and beverages, essential oils, edible oils and fats, ice cream and popsicles, flours, dairy products, sauces and condiments, dried fruits and dehydrated vegetables, as well as cereals and grains.

International Outlook for Organic Products Trade

According to Precedence Research, the global organic food market is expected to reach approximately US$497.3 billion by 2030. Meanwhile, data from the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) show that in 2023 organic farmland expanded to nearly 99 million hectares, with notable increases in Latin America, Europe, and Africa, while North America and Oceania recorded slight declines.

In the United States, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that the value of organic imports rose to US$5.7 billion in 2024, while the domestic market has already reached US$70 billion. This growth may be linked to increasing interest in organic products among younger generations, for whom health and sustainability trends are a priority.

According to a survey by the Organic Trade Association (OTA), Millennials and Generation Z are driving growth in the U.S. organic food market. Health benefits are the primary purchasing motivation for these consumers, with associations such as “free from toxic pesticides” or “antibiotic-free” being directly linked to the organic label.

OTA notes that nearly 90% of Generation Z consumers (ages 13 to 28) already purchase organic products regularly or are in the process of adopting the habit. The organization also highlights that this generation does not view price as a barrier to purchasing these types of foods.

Moreover, the survey Consumer Perception of USDA Organic and Other Labels, conducted in partnership with Euromonitor International in 2024, shows that the USDA Organic label enjoys the highest level of trust across all generations. “Consumers value the organic label more than any other food certification, and younger consumers adopt it with greater enthusiasm,” said Tom Chapman, Co-CEO, OTA.