Mexico Begins Talks With Berry Industry on Labor Certification

Mexico’s federal government has launched a formal dialogue with the berry industry to develop a labor certification mechanism tied to agroexports, a process that will extend through 2026 and aims to formalize workers across the berry value chain while preserving export continuity.

“The objective is to consolidate a solid, clear labor certificate that is compatible with the competitiveness of the Mexican countryside and that contributes in a sustained way to improving working conditions,” said Marath Bolaños, Minister of Labor, during the inaugural meeting with industry representatives.

The initiative was presented during an introductory session convened by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRICULTURA) and the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), marking the first step toward implementing the Labor Certification for Agroexports mechanism in the berry sector. The meeting brought together producers and exporting companies to review the general structure of the certification, address initial concerns, and outline a gradual implementation pathway.

Mexico is the world’s third-largest exporter of berries, with shipments of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries generating more than US$3.8 billion annually. Federal officials have framed the certification effort as a response to the sector’s sustained growth in exports, production, and employment, alongside increasing scrutiny of labor conditions in global agricultural supply chains. According to IMSS data, over 470,000 people are employed in the berry sector nationwide.

Julio Berdegué, Minister of Agriculture, says the government aims to ensure that the expansion of a high-value export industry is matched by compliance with labor rights. He notes that AGRICULTURA’s role in the mechanism will focus on verifying that export volumes are supported by a corresponding level of formal employment. “The purpose is not to make exporting more difficult, but to ensure that the prosperity generated by this chain is shared fairly with those who make it possible,” says Berdegué in a press release. 

At the center of the proposed certification system is VELAGRO, a digital platform designed to link export operations with labor compliance in real time. Through automated communication with IMSS, the system will verify worker registration and social security coverage. It will also connect with Mexico’s Single Window for Foreign Trade (VUCEM), allowing customs authorities to confirm the existence of a valid labor certificate at the time an export declaration is filed. Officials say the model is intended to reduce duplication, streamline procedures, and provide operational certainty for exporters.

Before the mechanism becomes fully mandatory, the government plans to roll out a pilot program involving berry producers and packing facilities. As with a similar process applied previously in the avocado sector, the pilot phase is intended to test the platform under real operating conditions, fine-tune labor coefficients, and adjust workflows without disrupting exports. Authorities say that the initial stage will focus on system improvement rather than sanctions.

The dialogue with berry producers forms part of a broader federal strategy to link agricultural competitiveness with labor formalization and social protection. That approach has been particularly visible in Michoacan, one of Mexico’s leading agricultural states and a major producer of berries, avocados, citrus, and mangoes. 

Under that plan, federal programs aim to strengthen agri-food sovereignty, rural productivity, and labor rights. In the berry sector alone, the government has outlined financing for 2,000ha operated by 1,000 small producers, along with support for the formalization of up to 90,000 agricultural workers. Across avocado and berry production, authorities expect coordination with STPS and IMSS to help ensure that as many as 150,000 farmworkers fully exercise their labor rights.

The labor certification discussion also intersects with Mexico’s broader trade agenda, particularly its relationship with the United States. Berry exports are deeply integrated into North American supply chains, and labor compliance has become an increasingly relevant factor in bilateral trade discussions under the USMCA. In November, agrifood leaders from both countries met during a US Department of Agriculture trade mission to address logistical, sanitary, and labor-related challenges affecting cross-border commerce.

At that roundtable, representatives from Mexico’s National Agricultural Council and the National Association of Berry Producers and Exporters joined US counterparts in emphasizing the importance of dialogue and regulatory coordination to maintain market access. Humberto Jasso, Vice President, Foreign Trade Council, said collaboration is essential to strengthen integrated value chains and ensure the region’s competitiveness.

Federal officials have positioned the berry labor certification as a collaborative instrument rather than a unilateral mandate, stressing that ongoing consultations will shape its final design. The government has committed to maintaining regular engagement with producers and exporters throughout 2026, with the stated aim of delivering a certification framework that provides legal certainty, supports trade flows and aligns Mexico’s agroexport model with formal employment standards.