The diversification of the agricultural food products portfolio (which includes agricultural and agro-industrial products) for the external market has had a marginal advance in the last decade, as the 12 products, or group of goods, with the greatest export value, only reduced their importance by 3 percentage points.
According to data from the Bank of Mexico, the 12 most exported agricultural and agroindustrial goods accounted for 50.27 percent of the main agricultural exports in the first eight months of the year.
In the same period of 2006, when they reached their highest peak, they accounted for 53.23 percent.
In order of importance, these products are: beer, fresh or chilled tomato, avocado, tequila and mezcal, pepper, bakery products, sugar, fresh strawberry and raspberry, fresh melon, watermelon, and papaya; confectionery products without cocoa, chocolate, other food preparations containing cocoa, and cattle.
Sales
Sales of these 12 products abroad amounted to 9,357.16 million dollars, a fair amount, as it outperformed the crude oil exports recorded in the first eight months of this year.
In practical terms, what the first group lost in sales this decade, was won by the block of products ranking 13 to 24 in agricultural exports.
Despite having more diversification in agriculture, exports are concentrated in tomato and avocado, as coffee exports have become of greater importance because of the negative impact caused by the rust fungus.
It is worth mentioning that, between 2012 and 2016, the highest increase in food exports were of grain sorghum, which increased by an annual average of 66.35, followed by exports of fresh or chilled fish (except fillet), with 25.30 percent; and corn exports, with 23.93 percent.
Source: Agencia Reforma