Mexico began exporting bell peppers to Japan after completing a first shipment of 733kg from Sinaloa, following an agreement signed with Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) at the end of 2025. The shipment marks the opening of a new agricultural export market after 16 years of technical negotiations between both countries focused on sanitary requirements and market access.
Mexico’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER) said the breakthrough was achieved after the National Service for Agro-Alimentary Public Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) demonstrated through scientific research that Mexican bell peppers are not susceptible to tobacco blue mold, which had been the main sanitary concern raised by Japanese authorities.
The export protocol currently includes 20 agricultural fields and 11 packing facilities located in Coahuila, Guanajuato, Querétaro and Sinaloa. SADER said additional producers and companies may gradually join the export program as they comply with the sanitary and operational requirements established under the bilateral agreement.
Mexican producers already export bell peppers to the United States and Canada. However, industry representatives view Japan as a strategic entry point for broader expansion into Asia and Europe as producers seek to diversify export destinations beyond North America.
“The United States is a gigantic market, but personally I see Japan as the gateway to the Asian region for bell pepper exports,” Alfredo Díaz, Director General, Mexican Protected Horticulture Association (AMHPAC), told Forbes México.
According to Díaz Belmontes, producers are already evaluating opportunities in markets such as South Korea, Singapore and China. He added that bell peppers and cucumbers currently face no restrictions in China, unlike tomatoes, which still lack a phytosanitary protocol.
The diversification strategy comes as producers reassess their dependence on the US market amid trade uncertainty linked to tariff announcements by US President Donald Trump. According to Banxico, the United States imported more than US$623 million worth of Mexican bell peppers between January and May 2025, while Canada imported more than US$21 million during the same period. Approximately 96% of Mexico’s annual bell pepper exports are shipped to the United States.
Mexico’s average annual bell pepper production exceeds 3.1Mt, with major producing states including Sinaloa, Sonora, Jalisco, Zacatecas, Chihuahua and San Luis Potosi.
Japan already imports several Mexican agricultural and livestock products, including pork, beef, asparagus, grapes, berries, avocado, tomato, mango, orange juice, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. SADER said the addition of bell peppers reflects confidence in Mexico’s sanitary standards and agricultural production capabilities.
Global trade data analyzed by Hortoinfo shows Mexico has remained the world’s leading bell pepper exporter by volume for most of the past two decades. In 2024, Mexico generated approximately US$1.86 billion in bell pepper export revenues, surpassing Spain and the Netherlands.
The ministry said expanding access to international markets remains part of its broader strategy to strengthen economic opportunities for Mexican producers and increase the presence of Mexican agricultural products in Asian markets.