Mexico and Canada strengthen trade ties amid U.S. tariff announcements

Following the Trump Administration’s decision to impose a 35% duty on Canadian imports, the United States' neighbors are looking to open new markets and strengthen existing trade flows. 

During a virtual meeting, representatives from Mexico’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER), the National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA), and Canada's Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) discussed opportunities to improve bilateral cooperation and facilitate the movement of safe food products.

“Canada has been a strategic partner in food supply for more than three decades, especially for small and medium-sized Mexican producers,” said Jorge Valdez, director of International Trade Negotiations Support at SADER.

Evan Lewis, senior director of the CFIA's Market Access Secretariat, noted that while many priority foods already have established health protocols, additional agricultural and livestock products could soon be included in bilateral trade agreements. He also highlighted the mutual trust between Mexico and Canada regarding regulatory work for both conventional and organic products, which facilitates sanitary negotiations.

SENASICA representative Maritza Juárez Durán reported ongoing efforts to expand the list of plant products with export potential. These include tomatoes, avocados, raspberries, strawberries, cucumbers, lemons, limes, blueberries, guavas, Ataulfo mangoes, mangosteens, walnuts, asparagus, cauliflower, onions, squash, watermelon, grapes, lettuce, carrots, spinach, Chinese melon, and parsley, among others. For animal products, the focus is on increasing exports of beef (both bone-in and boneless), pork, live poultry, poultry meat, poultry by-products, and pet food.

As for organic trade, Mexico and Canada renewed their Memorandum of Understanding on the recognition of equivalencies in 2024, aiming to bolster the competitiveness of small and medium-sized Mexican producers.

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