From January to June of this year, total agri-food trade between Mexico and the United States increased by 16 percent compared to the same period in 2021, totaling $37.64 billion, Mexico’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development informed.

The federal agency highlighted that the value of exports of Mexican agri-food products increased by 18 percent and imports increased by 13 percent during the time period in question.

Thus, there was a surplus balance for Mexico of $10.1 billion, which meant an increase of 24 percent with regards to the surplus recorded during the same period in 2021.

Agriculture indicated that during the first half of 2022, the value of total Mexican agri-food exports to the United States amounted to close to $24 billion.

It also explained that the main agri-food export products were fruits, alcoholic beverages and vinegars, as well as vegetables, which accounted for 27, 24 and 20 percent respectively, of Mexico's agri-food sales to the neighboring country.

The main export products were beer, with a value of $2.67 billion, followed by tequila, $2.52 billion, and avocado, $1.73 billion.

The sales of tomatoes, berries (raspberries and blackberries), peppers, strawberries, boneless beef, grapes and sweet bread together represented 53 percent of the total value of the country's exports to the U.S. market.

Agriculture highlighted that during this period, tequila exports increased by 55 percent; boneless beef, 28 percent, avocado, 27 percent and sweet bread, 27 percent.

During this period, the main import products were cereals, seeds and oilseeds, and meat and edible meat offal, which accounted for 27, 14 and 13 percent respectively, of Mexican agrifood purchases from the United States.

The total value of the main import products from the United States amounted to $13.77 billion.