Business Section

Agribusiness in El Bajío

Agribusiness is a major contributor to el Bajío’s economy and the outlook for many crops appears quite promising.  In 2006, for instance, over $178 million worth of strawberries were exported from Mexico – a jump of more than 53% from the previous year.  Over the same time frame, asparagus exportation grew 30% to $149.5 million, head lettuce by 36% to over $25 million and corn by 161% to more than $37 million.  Livestock also forms an integral part of el Bajío’s agricultural sector.  Last year, Mexico’s live bovine exports increased by 26.8% to become an industry worth over $681 million.  And cattle ranchers exported nearly $88 million of fresh beef, which was a 39.5% jump from 2005.

In order to take full advantage of the region’s agricultural potential, el Bajío firms are encouraged to seek U.S. suppliers with advanced food processing technology and competitive financing.  Many American firms offer cutting-edge agricultural equipment, effective business solutions and highly efficient supply chain management.  Numerous Mexican firms have already discovered the benefits of using U.S. suppliers.  Mexican firms purchased over $800 million in U.S. agricultural machinery in 2006, with a significant portion of these sales generated in el Bajío.