Mexico's foreign steel trade grew 17.6 percent in 2022, compared to 2021, totaling $27.8 billion, a new all-time record driven by also all-time highs in exports and imports, reveals a SteelOrbis analysis of data from the national agency of statistics Inegi.
In 2022, steel imports increased 18.8 percent to $20.82 billion. Since the entry into force of NAFTA last year (1994-2022) the import of steel products to Mexico multiplied 10.8 times or what is the same as an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 9.0 percent.
For their part, steel exports grew 14.0 percent, compared to 2021, totaling $6.97 billion. In the period 1994-2022, exports multiplied 9.5 times or grew at an AAGR of 8.4 percent. These growth rates far exceed the AAGR of the entire Mexican economy, which grew only 2.0 percent in the same period.
In the last three decades (except in 1995) Mexico has had a deficit in the steel trade balance. In 2022, the trade deficit was $13.85 billion, 21.4 percent more than in 2021.
In December, the value of exports plummeted 49.8 percent, year over year, totaling $435 million; it was the fourth consecutive loss. Imports decreased 9.6 percent to $1.48 billion; it was the second reduction in a row.
As a simple comparison, in December for every dollar exported, $3.4 dollars were imported.