Mexican strawberry exports to US near $1 billion as dumping dispute raises risks
Mexico shipped about 263,000 tonnes of strawberries worth nearly $1 billion to the United States in 2025. A preliminary US dumping determination has raised concerns for roughly 5,000 producers and 151,000 jobs tied to the industry.
A billion-dollar market
Mexico exported about 263,000 tonnes of strawberries to the United States in 2025, generating revenue close to $1 billion, La Jornada reported, citing official data. The scale of these shipments makes the United States the principal destination for Mexican strawberries and leaves the industry closely exposed to changes in US trade policy, border costs and market-access conditions.
Strawberries also form part of Mexico’s broader berry segment, one of the most valuable categories in the country’s agricultural and food trade. According to Bank of Mexico data cited by La Jornada, berry exports reached $1.933 billion in the first half of the year, making berries Mexico’s third-largest agricultural and food export product during that period. Strawberry sales to the United States therefore represent a substantial share of a wider export business that supplies fresh fruit to international markets.
Thousands of growers depend on the trade
Mexico’s Economy Ministry estimates that close to 5,000 domestic producers depend on strawberries. Most are small or medium-sized businesses operating farms of up to 10 hectares. The supply chain supports about 151,000 permanent and temporary jobs across cultivation, packing and export operations, giving the crop importance well beyond the value recorded at the border.
Michoacán, Jalisco and Guanajuato are among Mexico’s main strawberry-producing states. Growers, packing companies and workers in these regions would be directly affected by any measure that increases export expenses or weakens the competitiveness of Mexican fruit in the US market. Smaller farms may be especially sensitive because their limited scale leaves less room to absorb additional trade-related costs.
Preliminary dumping finding
The US Department of Commerce has made a preliminary determination that Mexican strawberry producers engage in dumping during the winter, estimating a margin of 3.37% to 5.28%. The finding introduces uncertainty for a trade flow built around the two countries’ seasonal supply relationship. The source material does not specify final duties or a timetable for a final decision, meaning the immediate commercial impact will depend on the subsequent stages of the proceeding.
Mexico’s National Agricultural Council rejected the allegation. According to La Jornada, the council said Washington’s criteria conflict with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the World Trade Organization’s Anti-Dumping Agreement. It also warned that the use of seasonal and geographic criteria could establish a precedent affecting competitiveness, complementarity and integrated production across bilateral agricultural trade. The organization called on the Mexican government to take a firm position against using these criteria in investigations of alleged unfair trade practices. For growers and buyers, the case now extends beyond strawberries: its treatment of production seasons could influence how future disputes involving other agricultural products are assessed.
