Tariffs on avocados give Mexico an advantage over other countries in its exports to the United States, including Peru, Colombia, and Chile.
On August 7, 2025, reciprocal tariffs of between 10% and 41% applied to 95 countries came into effect in the United States. The measure increases global trade tensions, makes strategic inputs more expensive, and jeopardizes international economic stability.
Mexico is the leading exporter of avocados to the U.S. market, and its shipments of this fruit are not subject to U.S. customs tariffs.
Tariffs on avocados
One in every two avocados consumed in the United States comes from Mexico. This position reflects the strength of the Mexican countryside and its impact on agricultural trade. It also shows the growing US dependence on Mexican exports to supply its domestic demand.
From January to July 2025, Mexico exported avocados to the United States worth $2.197 billion. This volume represented a year-on-year increase of 18.1 percent.
The following are avocado exports to the US market from January to July 2025, in millions of dollars:
- Mexico: 2.197.
- Peru: 161.
- Colombia: 118.
- Dominican Republic: 40.
- Chile: 22.
Tariff advantage
On April 2, 2025, the United States imposed a minimum tariff of 10% on all foreign imports, effective April 9, 2025.
The US company Mission Produce indicated that its imported avocados come mainly from Mexico and Peru, with additional imports from several Central and South American countries, some of which are subject to tariffs higher than 10 percent.
Since Mexican fruit is exempt under the USMCA, the company is affected by the 10% tariffs on Peruvian fruit.
In the first seven months of 2025, U.S. avocado imports from around the world totaled $2.538 billion, a year-on-year increase of 20.9 percent.
Some companies brought forward exports ahead of the tariffs coming into effect to avoid paying the new tariffs.
In the United States, demand for avocados is growing steadily. Per capita consumption has multiplied in two decades, driven by healthy eating trends and popularity in gastronomy. This increase strengthens Mexican imports and boosts bilateral agricultural trade.