Agricultural products in Mexico with the highest income.
Over the past few decades, Mexico has solidified its position as a prominent global producer of fruits and vegetables, securing a place among the top 10 producing countries. This is primarily due to the surge in avocado, tomato, pepper, berry, and mango production.
We can understand the specific situation of each of these commodities thanks to the Agricultural Closure data provided annually by the Food and Fisheries Information Service (SIAP).
It is crucial to underscore that high yields don’t necessarily guarantee significant profitability, as many other factors influence the maximum return on investment, with securing a favorable selling price being equally critical.
In agriculture, profitability refers to the ability to generate economic gain. Thus, even with low yields, a product can be highly profitable if it is sold at a good price, particularly in a saturated market.
It should be clarified that the data presented refer to the gross profit obtained for each crop. To obtain the net profit, the expenses inherent to production costs would have to be deducted.
To analyze how much money these Mexican crops generated, we considered the country’s total harvested area and the production value for each crop during 2021.
In this sense, the crops with the highest value per unit area in Mexico are agave, leaving 1,225,778 pesos per hectare, followed by eggplant and strawberry with 972,411 pesos/ha and 923,234 pesos/ha, respectively.
Top Revenue-Generating Crops
It should be noted that the data presented refers to the gross earnings for each crop. To determine net profit, production costs specific to each crop must be subtracted.
To assess the revenue generated by crops in Mexico, we considered the total harvested area for each crop and the production value in 2022. The value per area ratio gives us the value in Mexican pesos per harvested hectare.
In this regard, the crop with the highest value per unit area in Mexico is agave, with 1,341,479 pesos per hectare, followed by raspberry and blueberry, with 1,309,573 pesos/ha and 1,065,215 pesos/ha, respectively.
| Agricultural Crops with the Highest Revenue per Area in Mexico (2022) | |||
| Crop | Harvested area (ha) | Production value (Million pesos) |
Gross profitability (pesos/hectare) |
| Agave | 26,562 | 36,632 | 1,341,479 |
| Raspberries | 9,622 | 12,601 | 1,309,573 |
| Blueberries | 4,331 | 4,613 | 1,065,215 |
| Strawberries | 13,294 | 13,965 | 1,050,447 |
| Eggplant | 1,877 | 1,216 | 648,486 |
| Tomatoes | 49,196 | 31,509 | 640,486 |
| Date | 2,456 | 1,287 | 524,036 |
| Malanga | 495 | 246,031,069 | 497,032 |
| Blackberries | 9,661 | 4,796 | 496,422 |
| Asparagus | 35,940 | 17,271 | 480,548 |
| Source: SADER-SIAP/ProducePay 2023 |
Notably, four of the primary commercial berries are among the top 10, with blackberry making its appearance in recent years. Hence, berry cultivation is among the most profitable in the industry.
Regarding vegetables, the most lucrative crops are eggplant, tomatoes, date, and asparagus.
Due to its high selling price, eggplant cultivation has expanded over the years, primarily in the states of Sinaloa, Michoacán, and Zacatecas. A significant portion of the produce is exported to the United States, while domestic consumption is on the rise.
Tomatoes and asparagus also have a strong presence in both domestic and U.S. markets , fetching high prices and consequently high profitability.
More High-Value Crops in Mexico
Other fruits prove to be profitable per hectare, including cherries, papayas, grapes, jackfruit, bitter melon, avocados, and pineapples. Among vegetables, we find chayote, cucumber, chili pepper, garlic, potatoes, celery, and Brussels sprouts.
Naturally, the return on investment for each of these crops varies and hinges on several factors. Even though they are considered high-value crops, environmental and market conditions play a significant role.
For instance, a farmer selling most of their produce during the peak season might struggle to get high prices. In contrast, those who market their products before the peak production period might find it easier to sell at a higher price.
Furthermore, adverse weather events can change the supply and demand dynamics of a particular product, creating potential market opportunities (if not affected by these events).
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Source: SADER-SIAP