Mexico's Trade Challenges: Rising Corn Imports and Nearshoring Growth

Mexico’s dependence on imported corn has surged since the 1994 trade agreement that linked its agriculture to the United States. Imports rose from about $70 million in 1993 to roughly $6 billion in 2025 – an increase of over 8,500 percent. Forecasts from the OECD and FAO project Mexico to become the world’s leading corn importer by 2035, sourcing about 10 % of global corn purchases, while roughly half of the food consumed in the country already comes from abroad.

At the same time, Mexico is being positioned as a global logistics hub under the US‑Mexico‑Canada Agreement (USMCA/T‑MEC) and a new agreement with the European Union. In 2025 the country attracted more than $40 billion in foreign direct investment, driven largely by nearshoring firms relocating production closer to U.S. consumers. The United States remains the primary export market, accounting for 64 % of shipments, with services and retail leading export categories. Trade with Canada is steady, while 8 % of DHL‑tracked exports now go to Europe, led by Spain and Germany, opening new opportunities for Mexican small and medium‑sized enterprises.