Fueled by produce shipments traveling via trucks and rail, the Laredo customs district was the top U.S.-Mexico border port of entry (POE) for agricultural trade from January through October 2022. The Laredo customs district handled 49% of U.S. agricultural exports to Mexico and 52% of imports from Mexico during the first ten months of the year.
The Department of Agriculture recently issued a report titled U.S.-Mexico Agricultural Trade Logistics Review: “Along the U.S.-Mexico border, the Laredo district handles most agricultural trade in both directions,” the report said. “A mix of factors, including established industry supply chains, a higher number of commercial crossings with infrastructure to handle food and agricultural products, and the district’s proximity to the largest population centers and key markets in both countries all help to explain its lead role in cross-border trade.”
Some of the top agricultural goods passing through Laredo include avocados, tomatoes, lemons, limes, mangos, broccoli, peppers, berries, lettuce, bulk grains, and oilseeds, as well as frozen fruit and vegetables. Excluding avocados, about 38% of Mexico’s fresh fruit and vegetable exports flow through Laredo crossings, along with 30% through the POEs in Nogales, Arizona, and 17% through the Otay Mesa crossing near San Diego, the report said.
Source: freightwaves.com
