The United Mexican States imported US$383.3 billion worth of products from around the globe during 2020, down by -15.8% from $455.3 billion in 2019.

This article presents a quick reference snapshot of Mexico’s main imported products in 2020 categorized by dollar amount and major trading partners.

Data is organized by overall metrics then drill down to the most valuable Mexican imports during 2020 for each of Mexico’s top 10 supplier countries. Those leading trading partners accounted for 84.6% of total Mexican import purchases.

Strategically located Mexico shares its northern land border with its biggest trading partner, the United States of America. The geographic proximity is further leveraged by free trade status under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Product categories shown summarize calculations at the two-digit Harmonized System code level. Two-digit codes enable higher-level insights and trends for Mexican imports and each of the top supplier countries.

Mexico’s Main Imports from the US

In 2020, United States’ exports to Mexico amounted to $168.2 billion or 43.9% of overall Mexican imports.

That dollar amount represents an -18.4% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 77.2% of Mexico’s imports from America.

Machinery: $23 billion
Mineral fuels including oil: $22.8 billion
Electronic equipment: $17.7 billion
Vehicles: $15.5 billion
Plastics: $14.1 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $5.5 billion
Iron or steel products: $4.13 billion
Cereals: $4.05 billion
Organic chemicals: $4 billion
Iron and steel: $3.71 billion
Other chemical goods: $3.68 billion
Paper: $3.5 billion
Meat: $3.1 billion
Rubber: $2.51 billion
Aluminum: $2.47 billion

There were no increases from 2019 to 2020.

Posting the severest declines among Mexico’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -36.8%), vehicles (down -23.5%), rubber (down -21.1%), machinery (down -19.1%), electronic equipment (down -16.3%) and aluminum (down -16.2%).

Mexico’s Main Imports from China

In 2020, China’s exports to Mexico amounted to $73.6 billion or 19.2% of overall Mexican imports.

That dollar amount represents an -11.4% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 86.7% of Mexico’s imports from the mainland China.

Electronic equipment: $27.6 billion
Machinery: $16.4 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $4.8 billion
Vehicles: $3.1 billion
Plastics: $2.3 billion
Iron or steel products: $1.3 billion
Organic chemicals: $1.274 billion
Aluminum: $1.268 billion
Toys, games: $1.25 billion
Furniture, lighting, signs: $1.1 billion
Rubber: $1 billion
Other textiles, worn clothing: $700.1 million
Other base metal goods: $680.2 million
Knit or crochet clothing: $595.1 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $530 million

The only increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Mexican imports from China under the miscellaneous textiles including worn clothing product category via an 87.6% gain in revenue and medical or technical equipment (up 30.3%).

Posting the severest declines among Mexico’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -44.4%), toys and games (down -25.6%), vehicles (down -25%), knitted or crocheted clothing (down -16.3%), machinery (down -12.9%) and electronic equipment (down -12.6%).

Mexico’s Main Imports from South Korea

In 2020, South Korea’s exports to Mexico amounted to $14.7 billion or 3.8% of overall Mexican imports.

That dollar amount represents a -16.7% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 89.7% of Mexico’s imports from South Korea.

Machinery: $4.4 billion
Electronic equipment: $4 billion
Vehicles: $1.3 billion
Plastics: $1.1 billion
Iron and steel: $716.1 million
Medical, technical equipment: $376.5 million
Iron or steel products: $290.8 million
Rubber: $265.8 million
Aluminum: $163.7 million
Base metal tools, cutlery: $149.8 million
Other base metal goods: $110 million
Organic chemicals: $103.4 million
Other chemical goods: $79.6 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $76.5 million
Pharmaceuticals: $59.9 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Mexican imports from South Korea under the pharmaceuticals product category via a 276.5% gain in revenue, organic chemicals (up 39.8%), miscellaneous chemical goods (up 27%), machinery (up 18.1%) then base metal tools and cutlery (up 11.4%).

Posting the severest declines among Mexico’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -87.2%), medical or technical equipment (down -64.2%), iron and steel as materials (down -32.8%), vehicles (down -28.4%), rubber (down -27.5%) then miscellaneous base metal goods (down -26.4%).

Mexico’s Main Imports from Japan

In 2020, Japan’s exports to Mexico amounted to $13.9 billion or 3.6% of overall Mexican imports.

That dollar amount represents a -22.7% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 91.2% of Mexico’s imports from Japan.

Electronic equipment: $3.6 billion
Vehicles: $2.9 billion
Machinery: $2.6 billion
Iron and steel: $1.2 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $674.3 million
Plastics: $551.4 million
Iron or steel products: $388.3 million
Rubber: $240.8 million
Base metal tools, cutlery: $132.9 million
Organic chemicals: $97.9 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $91.1 million
Other chemical goods: $81 million
Toys, games: $78.4 million
Other base metal goods: $52.8 million
Other manufactured products: $52.1 million

The fastest increase from 2019 to 2020 was for Mexican imports from Japan under the toys and games product category via a 31.8% gain in revenue.

Posting the severest declines among Mexico’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -46%), base metal tools and cutlery (down -43.4%), miscellaneous manufactured products (down -30.1%), machinery (down -24.9%), electronic equipment (down -24.7%) and vehicles (down -20%).

Mexico’s Main Imports from Germany

In 2020, Germany’s exports to Mexico amounted to $13.9 billion or 3.6% of overall Mexican imports.

That dollar amount represents a -21.6% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 88.9% of Mexico’s imports from Germany.

Machinery: $3.6 billion
Vehicles: $2.14 billion
Electronic equipment: $2.07 billion
Plastics: $901.5 million
Pharmaceuticals: $800.3 million
Medical, technical equipment: $666.2 million
Iron or steel products: $428.6 million
Other chemical goods: $320.1 million
Iron and steel: $300.9 million
Organic chemicals: $282.9 million
Rubber: $184.5 million
Paper: $171.6 million
Aluminum: $167.6 million
Base metal tools, cutlery: $163.4 million
Tanning, dyeing extracts: $118.5 million

The fastest increase from 2019 to 2020 was for Mexican imports from Germany under the aluminum product category via a 10.4% gain in revenue.

Posting the severest declines among Mexico’s top 15 imported products were vehicles (down -37%), iron and steel as materials (down -31.3%), medical or technical equipment (down -26.3%), rubber (down -25.1%), products made from iron or steel (down -24.9%) and electronic equipment (down -20.6%).

Mexico’s Main Imports from Malaysia

In 2020, Malaysia’s exports to Mexico amounted to $10.8 billion or 2.8% of overall Mexican imports.

That dollar amount represents a -6.6% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 96.3% of Mexico’s imports from Malaysia.

Electronic equipment: $9.1 billion
Machinery: $764.4 million
Medical, technical equipment: $214.5 million
Plastics: $67.7 million
Rubber: $64.4 million
Organic chemicals: $33.5 million
Aluminum: $28.1 million
Animal/vegetable fats and oils: $26.5 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $26.2 million
Other chemical goods: $23.1 million
Iron or steel products: $21.4 million
Wood: $20.5 million
Cocoa, cocoa preparations: $19.7 million
Cereal, milk preparations: $17.7 million
Glass: $17.3 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Mexican imports from Malaysia under the cereal or milk preparations product category via a 52.4% gain in revenue, medical or technical equipment (up 39.6%), animal or vegetable fats and oils (up 24.9%), machinery (up 23.1%), glass (up 18.9%) then miscellaneous chemical goods (up 12.6%).

Posting the severest declines among Mexico’s top 15 imported products were wood (down -29.3%), aluminum (down -23%), organic chemicals (down -18.7%), plastics as a material (down -14%) then cocoa including cocoa preparations (down -9.8%).

Mexico’s Main Imports from Taiwan

In 2020, Taiwan’s exports to Mexico amounted to $8.7 billion or 2.3% of overall Mexican imports.

That dollar amount represents a -6% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 94.2% of Mexico’s imports from Taiwan.

Electronic equipment: $4.2 billion
Machinery: $2.1 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $626.2 million
Iron or steel products: $436.8 million
Plastics: $310.7 million
Vehicles: $155.2 million
Iron and steel: $101.3 million
Other base metal goods: $89.2 million
Toys, games: $82.1 million
Rubber: $51.1 million
Base metal tools, cutlery: $43.4 million
Aluminum: $34.1 million
Organic chemicals: $32 million
Copper: $30.8 million
Other chemical goods: $27.8 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Mexican imports from Taiwan under the toys and games product category via a 36.9% gain in revenue, machinery (up 15.3%) then medical or technical equipment (up 8.5%).

Posting the severest declines among Mexico’s top 15 imported products were iron and steel as materials (down -37.3%), products made from iron or steel (down -23.8%), miscellaneous chemical goods (down -16.8%), rubber (down -13.4%), vehicles (down -13.2%) then base metal tools and cutlery (down -11.9%).

Mexico’s Main Imports from Canada

In 2020, Canada’s exports to Mexico amounted to $8.3 billion or 2.2% of overall Mexican imports.

That dollar amount represents a -15.5% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 79.1% of Mexico’s imports from Canada.

Vehicles: $1.4 billion
Machinery: $1.1 billion
Electronic equipment: $654 million
Oil seed: $567 million
Plastics: $466.4 million
Other chemical goods: $407.4 million
Cereals: $331.2 million
Aluminum: $283.5 million
Meat: $280.7 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $264.2 million
Iron and steel: $228 million
Iron or steel products: $222.4 million
Rubber: $189.7 million
Paper: $131.8 million
Medical, technical equipment: $122.1 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Mexican imports from Canada under the cereals product category via a 37.1% gain in revenue, miscellaneous chemical goods (up 29.4%) then oil seed (up 14.7%).

Posting the severest declines among Mexico’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -40.8%), iron and steel as materials (down -39.4%), meat (down -37.3%), aluminum (down -31.4%), products made from iron or steel (down -26.8%) then paper (down -26.5%).

Mexico’s Main Imports from Vietnam

In 2020, Vietnam’s exports to Mexico amounted to $6.6 billion or 1.7% of overall Mexican imports.

That dollar amount represents a 8.8% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 90% of Mexico’s imports from Vietnam.

Electronic equipment: $3.3 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $738.9 million
Machinery: $539.1 million
Footwear: $287.9 million
Iron and steel: $227.3 million
Toys, games: $175.7 million
Knit or crochet clothing: $121 million
Clothing (not knit or crochet): $103.6 million
Vehicles: $94.7 million
Aluminum: $89.9 million
Fish: $63.3 million
Iron or steel products: $59.6 million
Plastics: $54.4 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $53.8 million
Rubber: $42.4 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Mexican imports from Vietnam under the iron and steel as materials product category via a 74.7% gain in revenue, toys and games (up 61.6%), machinery (up 51.2%), rubber (up 34.5%) then medical or technical equipment (up 11.8%).

Posting the severest declines among Mexico’s top 15 imported products were fish (down -50.1%), unknitted and non-crocheted clothing (down -28.2%), footwear (down -25.8%), vehicles (down -19.3%), knitted or crocheted clothing (down -18.9%) and aluminum (down -18.3%).

Mexico’s Main Imports from Brazil

In 2020, Brazil’s exports to Mexico amounted to $5.5 billion or 1.4% of overall Mexican imports.

That dollar amount represents a -17.2% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 79.2% of Mexico’s imports from Brazil.

Iron and steel: $945.3 million
Machinery: $790.9 million
Vehicles: $720 million
Oil seed: $312.6 million
Cereals: $255.1 million
Electronic equipment: $237.4 million
Wood: $208.6 million
Raw hides excluding furskins: $169.5 million
Pharmaceuticals: $138.4 million
Woodpulp: $138.3 million
Rubber: $120.6 million
Plastics: $88.4 million
Organic chemicals: $77.9 million
Aluminum: $76 million
Paper: $72.8 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Mexican imports from Brazil under the aluminum product category via a 38.6% gain in revenue, oil seed (up 22.1%) and electronic equipment (up 18.4%).

Posting the severest declines among Mexico’s top 15 imported products were organic chemicals (down -53%), machinery (down -33.6%), paper (down -33.2%), plastics as a material (down -31.3%), cereals (down -27.4%) and raw hides excluding furskins (down -24.3%).

References

International Trade Centre, Trade Map.

Wikipedia, Mexico, Borders of Mexico.

World’s Top Exports, Import News.

Mexico’s Main Imports by Top Supplier Countries