Between 2014 to 2023, turkey consumption in Mexico has dropped 21.5%, according to statistics from Mexican market group GCMA.

The consumption of turkey, one of the main dishes in Mexican homes in these festivities, has declined in recent years.

Between 2014 and 2023, the apparent consumption of turkey meat in the country fell 21.5% to 135,740 metric tons, estimated Juan Carlos Anaya, director of the Agricultural Markets Advisory Group (GCMA).

Per capita consumption has fallen 27.8% in that period to only 1.04 kilos on average, well below other nations.

For example, in the United States, per capita consumption of turkey meat exceeds 7.2 kilograms. In some European countries it averages 5.2 kilograms. In Chile, per capita consumption is 3.7 kilograms; it is 2.0 kilograms in Brazil.

Juan Carlos Anaya, director of GCMA, predicts that in the study period, the self-sufficiency index in turkey meat may have increased by 21.8%, but not due to higher production, but due to lower consumption.

Lower consumption, he said, has been driven by changing consumer preferences that include pork leg and loin, as well as whole chicken. 

Anaya projects turkey meat production to reach 18,393 tons in 2023, which would lead to an annual increase of 1.1%. However, overall production has fallen 4.4% between 2014 and now.

Turkey meat imports are expected to fall 2.4 % in 2023 to 117,348 metric tons, a decline of 23.6% since 2014. 

In January-October of this year alone, Mexico imported 116,750 metric tons of turkey meat. Of that, 85.3% comes from the United States. A further 11.0% comes from Brazil, 3.0% from Chile and 0.7% from other nations.

Due to its variety, 10% of imports were whole turkeys refrigerated or frozen, 24% were boneless turkey or pasta, and 66% were thighs, legs, breasts, necks, fillets, shoulder blades, tails, etc.