Mexico: Cattle exports plummet by more than 50 percent in the first quarter
According to figures from the Bank of Mexico, cattle exports for the first quarter of 2025 amounted to $163 million, meaning foreign sales fell 52.30 percent compared to the same period in 2024, when exports totaled $341 million.
It's worth noting that thanks to agricultural production, Mexico managed to avoid a technical recession, as it was the only sector that managed to grow at a quarterly rate of 8.1 percent. Industrial production fell 0.3 percent and services grew by zero percent, according to data from INEGI.
The Economic Information System (SIE) of the Bank of Mexico established that, in January of this year, the value of beef exports was zero, in February it was more than $30 million, and in March it was more than $132 million, giving a total of $163 million due to rounding.
It is worth noting that since 1993, according to monthly records from the SIE, there has not been a zero value recorded in beef exports, as occurred last January. The lowest figure previously recorded was in September 1996, when exports in this category totaled $1,021,800.
It's worth noting that, by product, beef is among the top agricultural exports, having reached an annual value of $1.3 billion in 2024.
For its part, the National Agricultural Council (NAC) stated that the border closure will severely impact the livestock sector in the north of the country, which moves more than 5,700 head of cattle daily through Sonora and Chihuahua alone.
Likewise, estimates from the industry organization indicate that the suspension of livestock exports will mean Mexico losing $11.4 million every 24 hours.
The border closure was announced on Sunday, May 11, an action expected to be temporary and last 15 days. The U.S. government has conditioned the resumption of trade on a "significant window of containment ," based on a three-pronged approach that includes active field surveillance, training, and outreach; strict control of animal movement ; and sustained release of sterile insects.
According to the NAC, prior to the suspension, 2,500 heads were exported daily from Sonora and 3,200 heads from Chihuahua, with an average price of $2,000 per head.
For its part, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Sader) indicated that it is working to strengthen the national strategy to combat the cattle screwworm in conjunction with the United States government, with the goal of reopening the border to exports.
The agency also indicated that the insect traveled more than 3,700 kilometers from Panama to reach Mexico's southern border, and the Secretariat has maintained close coordination with U.S. health authorities to address the problem.
Furthermore, to inhibit pest reproduction, nearly one billion sterile flies have been dispersed from November 2024 to date, originating from the only production plant on the continent, operated by the United States Department of Agriculture and located in Panama.
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