Fresh Paths: Navigating U.S.-Mexico Produce Trade

August 27, 2025 10am to 11am PDT

**The Microsoft Teams link will be sent via a Calendar Invite after registration is completed**

Presented by Bryant Christie Inc.,

This webinar is designed for produce exporters based in the Western United States, particularly growers, packers, shippers, and marketers seeking to enter or expand in the Mexican market. The session will provide a practical overview of U.S.–Mexico produce trade, highlighting recent policy and market developments, including new duties on Mexican tomatoes, changes in minimum export prices, updates on phytosanitary requirements, and lessons from recent avocado and mango inspection suspensions. Attendees will gain insights into seasonal demand patterns, key ports of entry, and evolving consumer trends in Mexico. The presentation will also cover strategies for working with Mexican importers, distributors, and retailers, as well as navigating differences in logistics, compliance, and pricing across regions. A featured case study will offer firsthand insights from a successful Western U.S. exporter operating in Mexico. Participants will leave with actionable tips for preparing products for export, meeting regulatory and phytosanitary requirements, and building resilient market access strategies in the Mexican produce sector.

Detailed Webinar Overview:

1. Welcome & Objectives

• Intended Audience and Key Takeaways
• Three lenses for the discussion: policy & rules, phytosanitary/compliance, and logistics & market timing.
• Quick poll: “Your #1 pain point to Mexico this season?”

2. Snapshot – The Produce Trade Landscape

• Seasonality & corridors: PNW/CA/AZ ? Baja, Sonora, Sinaloa, Michoacán, Jalisco.
• Current high-movement commodities: avocados, berries, table grapes, tomatoes, onions, citrus, apples/pears.
• Recent market developments:

Tomatoes: U.S. termination of the 2019 Tomato Suspension Agreement; ~17% AD duties on most Mexican tomatoes; Mexico’s new minimum export prices.

Avocados/Mangoes: APHIS inspection suspensions in Michoacán due to inspector safety concerns, gradual resumption, and the importance of dual-state sourcing.

3. Rules of the Road: USMCA, Duties, and Disputes

• USMCA essentials for produce (rules of origin basics, dispute mechanisms).
• Tomato case study: impact of AD duties and minimum export prices on pricing, contracts, and retail programs.
• Biotech & SPS precedent: U.S. win in the USMCA biotech corn dispute and its implications for science-based SPS measures in produce.
• Short Q&A: “Where policy touches your P&L.”

4. Phytosanitary & Compliance: Keeping Loads Moving

• ToBRFV update (tomatoes/peppers): lifted requirements for fruit for consumption; stricter rules remain for propagative material.
• Border documentation checklist: commercial invoices, phytosanitary certificates, FDA PREDICT considerations.
• Risk controls: sanitation, lot coding, rapid response for inspection suspensions.

5. Logistics & Go-to-Market: From Orchard to Retail Program

• Key ports of entry: Nogales, Otay Mesa, Calexico&mdashdifferences in wait times, infrastructure, and carrier capacity.

• Cold chain management: reefer set points, ethylene sensitivity, in-transit temp monitoring.
• Contracts & Incoterms: managing price volatility, surcharge clauses, claim windows.

6. Case study:

• Insights and success stories

7. Q&A (5 mins)

Learning Outcomes:

1. Identify the most recent policy and market developments impacting U.S.–Mexico produce trade, including anti-dumping duties on tomatoes, Mexico’s minimum export pricing measures, and phytosanitary inspection changes.
2. Explain how USMCA provisions, dispute resolutions, and SPS measures influence produce exports and importer relationships.
3. Recognize current phytosanitary and compliance requirements, including documentation and protocols for ToBRFV and other regulated pests.
4. Evaluate key ports of entry, cold chain strategies, and transportation options to optimize cross-border shipments.
5. Apply strategies for building relationships with Mexican importers, distributors, and retailers, tailored to regional market differences.
6. Develop contingency plans for inspection suspensions, security-related disruptions, or sudden policy shifts.
7. Analyze seasonal demand patterns and identify high-opportunity produce categories for export to Mexico.