Canada and Mexico seeking new suppliers as fears of trade war mount
The tariffs announced by President Trump last week could present an opportunity for Catalonia’s fruit exporters, especially in products such as apples, peaches, and nectarines, which could gain a foothold in markets usually dominated by North American production.
Canada and Mexico are the countries that have historically imported the most fruit from the US and are seeking new suppliers.
In 2024, the US was the world’s leading exporter of apples, with 870,000 tonnes shipped mostly to Mexico (353,000 tonnes), followed by Canada (140,000 tonnes), Vietnam (62,000 tonnes) and India (37,000 tonnes).
And although the US is not among the world’s leading exporters of stonefruit, almost 100 per cent of its exports go to Canada and Mexico.
Manel Simon, general manager of Afrucat, commented: “Although these tariffs have a negative impact on global trade as a whole, they could represent an opportunity for the Catalan fruit sector.
“Some of our companies have already received interest from Canadian importers seeking to replace North American produce on their shelves. Furthermore, this situation could help us accelerate the protocol for importing apples to Mexico, which we have been working on for years”.
Currently, Spain is authorised to export apples and stonefruit (except cherries) to Canada, while peaches and nectarines can be exported to Mexico, while apples are still awaiting an export protocol.
