Sonora pork output rises 40% as Japanese demand supports exports
Sonora produced about 2 million pigs between January and July 2026, roughly 40% more than a year earlier. Pork exports rose 31% to nearly 39,000 tonnes as producers regained part of the Japanese market, but prices remained low at around 27 pesos.
Production approaches 2 million pigs
Sonora’s pork production increased by about 40% in the first seven months of 2026 compared with the same period of 2025, according to El Imparcial. Producers in the northwestern Mexican state counted approximately 2 million pigs between January and July, up from 1.4 million a year earlier.
The difference between those figures represents growth of about 42.9%, which the industry rounded to 40%. Hermenegildo Santiesteban López, general director of the Regional Livestock Union of Sonora Pork Producers, attributed the increase to the correction of animal-health and disease problems experienced in 2025, as well as earlier investments and measures designed to improve operating efficiency.
Japanese market supports export recovery
The production rebound extended into foreign sales. Sonora’s pork exports increased 31% during the January-July period and reached nearly 39,000 tonnes, El Imparcial reported. Producers regained part of the Japanese market they had previously lost, reinforcing Japan’s historical importance as a destination for pork from the state.
The opportunity emerged after African swine fever affected Spain’s trade. Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food reported an outbreak in November 2025 after two infected wild boars were found in Barcelona. Japan subsequently suspended imports of Spanish pork and pork products, allowing suppliers in Sonora to recover part of their position in one of the industry’s most important international markets.
Higher volumes have not lifted prices
Despite the simultaneous growth in output and exports, the price received by Sonora’s producers remains around 27 pesos, a level the industry considers low. The weak price means the sharp volume recovery has not fully resolved the financial pressure facing farms. El Imparcial previously reported that falling exports and prices during the sector’s earlier crisis had led more than half of Sonora’s pork producers to lease out their farms.
Animal health remains central to preserving access to overseas buyers. Mexico’s National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality says the work of technical personnel and specialized laboratories supports growth in national pork production. Santiesteban López also described Mexico’s domestic market as robust and said pork consumption had increased. However, rising imports continue to pressure local producers as imported meat competes for the additional demand. For producers, exporters and processors, the immediate challenge is therefore to convert stronger farm output and renewed Japanese sales into better prices, while maintaining the health controls required for international market access.
