December 31, 2025

 

Jalisco solidifies position as top pork producer in Mexico this year

 

Jalisco strengthened its position as Mexico's leading pork producer in 2025, supplying nearly a quarter of national output as modernisation efforts support growth in the sector.

 

At the same time, higher prices for pork and other key holiday ingredients have pushed the cost of festive meals up to 20%.

 

Jalisco produced 426,827.4 tonnes of pork in 2025, accounting for 22.6% of national output and consolidating the state as Mexico's leading pork producer, according to Jalisco's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER Jalisco).

 

Production data placed Jalisco at the top nationwide for pork, with activity concentrated mainly in the municipalities of Tepatitlán, San Juan de los Lagos, Acatic, and Lagos de Moreno, located in the Altos Norte region. These areas host production units that supply both local markets and other states across the country.

 

"With these figures, the state consolidates itself as the Agro-Food Giant of Mexico, contributing 12.8% to the national agricultural gross domestic product (GDP)," SADER Jalisco noted.

 

According to the agency, the pork industry's performance is closely linked to ongoing modernisation efforts.

 

"The state is advancing in the modernisation of its pork industry; therefore, strengthening this sector, together with innovation and the constant work of producers, benefits the local economy, and positions Jalisco as a global reference in the agricultural sector," agriculture authorities stated.

 

At the national level, pork production reached 1.9 Mt in 2024, according to the Panorama Agroalimentario 2025 report prepared by SADER.

 

During the December holiday season, pork is one of the main ingredients on Mexican family tables. For New Year's Eve dinners, popular dishes include pork loin stuffed with dried fruits, loin in fruit-based sauces, larded pork loin, or leg, oven-roasted adobo-marinated pork leg, and ribs prepared in adobo or barbecue sauce.

 

However, prices for this product, along with other seasonal items, such as turkey and cod, have driven the cost of holiday dinners up by between 17% and 20%. While the price of organic turkey has already exceeded MX$250/kg (US$13.89), prepared holiday meals per person range from MX$500 (US$27.8) to MX$1,200 (US$66.71).

 

Pork leg prices range between MX$95/kg (US$5.28) and MX$135/kg (US$7.50), while oven-ready pork loin sells for between MX$120/kg (US$6.67) and MX$150/kg (US$8.33) in supermarkets and butcher shops. By contrast, celebrating at luxury hotels or restaurants can increase the budget by up to five times, with prices ranging from MX$1,200 (US$66.71) to MX$10,000 (US$555.92) per diner.

 

Total spending rises further when side dishes, snacks, and beverages are included, which, according to the National Alliance of Small Merchants (ANPEC), can add more than MX$4,000 (US$222.37) to overall expenses.

 

Cuauhtémoc Rivera, president of ANPEC, warned of a challenging start to the year due to higher taxes and widespread price increases, recommending that consumers shop locally to maintain better control over their budgets.

 

"We call on people to consume locally, to be cautious, and to set some money aside to start the new year, because a very difficult beginning of the year is coming, with generalised price increases, higher taxes, and additional charges," Rivera said.

- Mexico Business News