Of all US exports of food and agricultural products to Mexico, 6.3% passed through the Port of Entry (POE) of Nogales in 2020, valued at 1,050 million dollars, highlights a report from the Department of Agriculture ( USDA).
Last year, Nogales was the fourth largest crossing point for U.S. agricultural exports to Mexico, followed by Laredo, TX, San Diego, CA, and El Paso, TX, respectively.
Total US export data for Nogales includes the following Arizona-based POIs: Nogales, San Luis, Douglas, Naco, and Luke Ville.
On the one hand, in 2020, the main agricultural exports from the United States to Mexico through the Nogales Port of Entry included fresh fruits (34% of total Nogales exports, valued at 355.5 million dollars), cereals (26%, valued at 271.7 million dollars), meats and meat products (9%, valued at 93.6 million) and fresh vegetables (8%, valued at 87.6 million).
On the other hand, the largest U.S. exports through Nogales in 2020 by volume included soybean oil cake (482,923 metric tons -TM-), apples (165,849 MT), malt (41,769 MT), pears (41,499 MT), meat poultry (19,927 MT), pork (14,798 MT) and beef (7,108 MT).
Also the slaughter and breeding of cattle, work horses and breeding horses crossed the POE of Nogales.
From a national perspective, about 88% of total US exports of food and agricultural products to Mexico in 2020, valued at $ 16.6 billion, crossed overland through one of several POEs along the border between United States and Mexico.
Nogales Port of Entry
Mexico’s SENASICA authorizes seven inspection and verification point (VIP) facilities for agricultural products, including two VIPs located in Arizona for live animal inspections.
On the Mexican side, an additional five VIPs are dedicated to animal products and by-products, as well as plants and plant products.
Generally, grain and feed products cross by rail from Nogales, Arizona, and are inspected on the Mexican side of the border at the Ferromex rail terminal.
Breeding pigs, horses, and cattle are inspected in Nogales, Arizona, at private facilities.
SENASICA inspection personnel are stationed in the SADER building on the Mariposa International Bridge in Nogales, Sonora.
Likewise, SENASICA’s working hours at the main office are from 09:30 to 18:00, Monday through Friday.
Meanwhile, VIP’s opening hours are Monday and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Tuesday to Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
SENASICA inspection hours for cattle and rail inspection are from 08:00 to 17:00, Monday through Friday.
While logistics products are transported by truck and rail, commercial vehicles crossing from Arizona to Mexico use the Mariposa International Bridge.
Rail freight, provided by Union Pacific and Ferromex, is transported at Dennis DeConcini Port of Entry.
According to SENASICA and commercial service providers that operate on both sides of the border, rail traffic through Nogales experiences bottlenecks on Mondays and Tuesdays due to heavy traffic of bulk products heading south that cross the border and arrive. during the afternoons to the VIPs for the inspection of SENASICA.
