Mexico’s berry exporters seek faster financing as shipments top 715,000 tonnes
Mexico’s berry exports exceeded 715,000 tonnes in 2026, 2% more year on year, according to CIONoticias. The sector is seeking faster working-capital financing to manage short delivery windows, delayed payments and pressure on blueberry prices.
Exports grow as the industry seeks liquidity
Mexico exported more than 715,000 tonnes of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries in 2026, an annual increase of 2%, CIONoticias reported, citing international trade finance company MUNDI. The publication placed the value of Mexican berry exports at $3.4 billion in 2025 and national production at 1.2 million tonnes.
Expansion in planted area and greater use of technology in orchards supported production. Mexico is the world’s largest blackberry producer, while the national berry industry generates more than 320,000 direct jobs and supplies over 41 international markets.
Production is concentrated in five states. Michoacán accounts for 29% of national output, followed by Jalisco with 20%, Baja California with 16%, Guanajuato with 11% and Puebla with 6%. Strawberries represent 54% of total berry volume. Blueberries are described as the fastest-growing segment, supported by investment in new varieties and technologies designed to extend export seasons for premium markets.
Short shelf life meets long payment cycles
The financing requirement reflects the timing mismatch within the fresh-fruit business. Berries may move from harvest to a retailer’s shelf in the United States or Europe in only a few days, while exporters can wait weeks or months for payment. Producers and traders must continue funding harvesting, packing, certification and logistics during that interval.
Paulina Aguilar, MUNDI’s co-founder and chief revenue officer, said the industry’s international position was built through years of investment in genetics, certifications, logistics infrastructure and commercial relationships. She added that stronger international competition, rising regulatory requirements and price volatility are now testing producers, marketers, exporters and other participants across the supply chain.
About 80% of Mexico’s berry production goes to the United States, making the country a major supplier to the North American market under the USMCA. MUNDI identifies genetics, international certification and rapid access to finance as three connected elements of competitiveness. New varieties can improve shelf life, size and consistency while helping growers target specific harvest periods. Certifications provide access to premium destinations in North America, Europe and Asia, but both require investment before export proceeds are collected.
Blueberry competition changes the seasonal strategy
Higher volume has not guaranteed higher returns. CIONoticias reported that total berry export value fell to $3.4 billion in 2025 amid intense price competition between Mexican and Peruvian blueberry supplies. Mexican growers have responded by shifting more availability toward the February-to-May spring window, when Peru’s presence in the US market is lower and prices are more favorable, rather than pursuing volume during heavily supplied periods.
That strategy requires varieties capable of changing harvest cycles and enough working capital to carry operations through quieter months. Faster financing can allow exporters to commit additional volume, enter new markets and maintain spending on quality without waiting for overseas invoices to be settled. For producers without that liquidity, narrow export windows and perishable inventory can limit sales even when international demand is available. The industry’s challenge is therefore not only to preserve output growth, but to finance the technology, compliance and logistics needed to defend margins and Mexico’s position in global berry markets.
