Mexico is becoming a greater focus for Canada’s beef exporters. They are looking beyond the United States. At the 2026 Annual Meat Industry Convention in Punta Mita, Nayarit, Claudia Herrera Blanc spoke on behalf of Canada Beef. She leads the group’s work in Mexico and Latin America. Herrera called Mexico a strategic partner for Canadian beef. She said Mexico represents about 7% of Canada’s total beef exports. That places it third among Canada’s export destinations, by volume. She said the United States still takes about 75% of Canadian beef exports. She described Canada as the world’s 10th beef producer. She said Canada sells beef to about 55 countries. She put Mexico’s per capita beef consumption at about 18 kilograms per year. Her message was about risk. Exporters want less reliance on one market when trade rules can shift. Canada Beef is also selling the system behind the product. Herrera pointed to the need for mandatory traceability using radio-frequency ear tags. A database tracks each animal from birth to slaughter or export. Canada also promotes grading standards, food safety controls, and animal welfare rules.
Herrera tied the argument to recent trade data. She said Canada shipped about 24,000 tonnes of beef to Mexico in 2025, worth about US$256 million. She described year-on-year growth of about 7% in volume and 35% in value. On the demand side, she said Mexico imported roughly 320,000 tonnes of beef in 2025. She put Canada’s share of that market at about 7.5%.
Canadian government export tables show a higher figure for 2025 to date. Through November 2025, Canada recorded about 29,884 tonnes of beef and veal exports to Mexico. The value was about C$305 million over the same period. Those tables show Mexico’s 2025 shipments running ahead of 2024 in both volume and value. Different totals can reflect differences in timing, exchange rates, and how products are grouped across datasets. Even with those caveats, the direction is clear in both sets of numbers. Mexico has moved from a smaller outlet to a market that can absorb larger volumes at higher prices.
Diversification and the 2026 USMCA review
The push comes as North American trade policy faces a fixed deadline. The USMCA, known in Mexico as the T‑MEC, is scheduled for a joint review by July 1, 2026. That review has become a planning marker for companies that rely on cross-border supply chains. Herrera said the priority is to reinforce the trilateral relationship, while also deepening ties with Mexico.
Tariff threats from Washington have added to exporters’ uncertainty. Canada has responded with a diversification agenda. It includes more activity in CPTPP markets and closer links with the European Union. Mexico is Canada’s third-largest single-country merchandise trading partner. Mexico has also been a target for trade diplomacy. From February 15 to 20, 2026, Dominic LeBlanc led a Team Canada delegation of more than 370 people. The Canadian government said the group represented more than 240 organizations. Canadian and Mexican officials framed the visit as a way to expand commercial ties. For the beef sector, that track supports the view that market access is shaped by both policy and demand.
How it touches Mexico’s meat market
For residents in Mexico, the Canada push intersects with a market where imports already matter. Mexico set a 70,000-tonne beef import quota for 2026 under a tariff-rate quota program. Industry groups have warned that the way quotas are allocated can add costs for importers. That matters for retailers and restaurants that rely on imported cuts. Canada’s sales pitch centers on a stable supply and a traceable origin, which can simplify buyer checks. It is also competing in a market that has widened its supplier base beyond North America.
Mexico’s meat industry council has cited rising total meat consumption in recent years, driven by household demand. In that setting, shifts in trade policy can alter which origins fill shortfalls, and at what price. For Canadian exporters, Mexico offers scale, proximity, and a rules-based framework under the T‑MEC. For shoppers, including many foreign residents, the practical question is whether the mix of domestic and imported beef becomes more stable through 2026.
With information from Canada Beef Mexico, Government of Canada, Trade Commissioner Service
