The fruit and vegetable trade balance between Europe and Mexico is set to improve.

Following the signing of the EU-Mexico agreement on May 22, the EU has completed the approval process for the Interim Trade Agreement, and its entry into force is pending the completion of the ratification process by Mexico. In the fruit and vegetable sector, trade is favorable to Mexico; as a result, in 2025, the trade balance showed a deficit for the EU of 72 million euros and, in the case of Spain, of 35.5 million euros.

Deficit ratio of 2.5

The EU’s trade balance for fresh fruits and vegetables showed a deficit of 20,896 metric tons and 71.7 million euros in 2025. Imports from Mexico were 2.5 times the volume exported by the EU and three times its value. The European Union as a whole exported 13,437 metric tons of fresh fruits and vegetables to Mexico in 2025, worth 34.1 million euros.

34,333 metric tons and 105.8 million euros imported

The main varieties imported by Europe were the group that includes dates, figs, pineapples, avocados, mangoes, and guavas, totaling 13,169 metric tons and 44.9 million euros. Other fresh vegetables, including asparagus, totaled 10,218 metric tons and 47.8 million; and the group consisting of onions, shallots, garlic, and leeks totaled 7,025 metric tons and 6.6 million euros.

Most Tariffs Still to Be Eliminated

Tariffs still exist on trade between the two parties. In the agri-food sector, Mexico will eliminate 95% of the tariffs applied to European exports, and protection for 568 EU geographical indications will be strengthened, according to EC information reviewed by FEPEX. For the fruit and vegetable sector, the EU will eliminate or reduce tariffs on various products from Mexico, including asparagus, peas, beans, mushrooms, olives, and various fresh fruits. For some products, entry prices and other protective mechanisms will remain in place.

7 EU products to benefit

Mexico, for its part, is improving market access for various EU products. Among the main concessions are the phased elimination of tariffs on potatoes, beans, apples, nectarines, and peaches, as well as the immediate elimination of tariffs on bananas and plantains. In some cases, extended transition periods or tariff quotas remain in place.

A deficit of 10,887 metric tons and 35.5 million euros with Spain

Spanish imports of Mexican products were four times the volume of exports and seven times their value. In 2025, Spain exported 3,154 metric tons of fresh fruits and vegetables to Mexico, worth 5.8 million euros. Exports were heavily concentrated in plums, with 3,002 metric tons and 5.1 million euros, accounting for 95% of the volume and 89% of the total value.

Avocados, asparagus, mangoes, and guavas

Conversely, Spain imported 14,041 metric tons of fresh fruits and vegetables from Mexico, worth 41.2 million euros. Onions were the most imported product by volume, at 4,071 metric tons, followed by avocados, at 3,596 metric tons; asparagus, at 3,064 metric tons; and mangoes and guavas, at 3,003 metric tons. By value, asparagus led the imports at 14.5 million euros, followed by mangoes and guavas at 13.9 million; avocados at 8.8 million; and onions at 2.4 million euros.

Sanitary barriers will remain

According to FEPEX, the reduction or elimination of tariffs alone does not guarantee greater access to the Mexican market for European products. The agreement does not modify the current sanitary and phytosanitary requirements for exports, so effective access will continue to depend on the procedures and protocols applicable to each product.

For more information on negotiations and trade opportunities with Mexico, click here.