The export of citrus fruits shot up 28.3% in the first seven months of the year in annual terms.
The value of those exports was US $912.3 million, compared to US $711 million over the same period in 2020.
Mexico is the world’s second largest exporter of limes, with 17.7% of the value of world sales, and the fourth largest exporter of grapefruit. However, the agricultural sector commits the largest growing area of any citrus fruit to oranges.
The United States depends on Mexico for 78.22% of its citrus imports, making it the principal market for exports. Nevertheless, oranges, mandarins, limes and grapefruits also find their way to the Netherlands, Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Derivatives of citrus fruits, such as juices, essential oils, peels and purees, played an important role in the rise in export value. From January–July, exports of orange juice grew 36%, totaling $278.5 million, compared to $204.8 million over the same period last year.
Agricultural trivia:
Jalisco produces more milk than any other state. In 2020, it produced 15.82 billion pesos’ (about US $800 million) worth of cow’s milk.
It was followed by Coahuila, Durango and Chihuahua. Together, the four states produce 52% of the milk for the entire country, according to data from the Agri-Food and Fisheries Information Service (SIAP), part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
CORRECTION: The original version of this story incorrectly referred to limes as lemons.
With reports from El Economista
