As a huge trade mission to Mexico is underway in mid-February 2026, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has announced new export opportunities for Canadian apples. 

Mexico has updated its import requirements for eligible apples from Eastern Canadian provinces. The change allows the CFIA to inspect and register cold treatment facilities, eliminating the need for in-person inspections by Mexican officials and reducing costs for Canadian exporters.  

The CFIA will maintain a list of the registered facilities in Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. To export apples to Mexico, those grown in these provinces must undergo cold treatment at one of the CFIA-registered facilities.

During the October 2025 trade visit to Mexico by Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, both countries agreed to enhance regulatory and technical cooperation as part of the Canada-Mexico 2025-2028 Action Plan to facilitate commercial ties between the two countries.

Supporting Canadian exporters’ access to international markets remains a priority for the CFIA. The Agency negotiates market access requirements with trading partners, provides Canadian growers and packing facilities with information on foreign import requirements, and verifies compliance with importing countries’ regulations through inspections. As Canada’s national plant protection agency, the CFIA is also dedicated to protecting Canada’s plant resources, and working with international counterparts to prevent the movement of invasive species. 

Quick facts

• -  Apples are Canada’s largest fruit crop in terms of production volume, and they generate the second highest farm gate value for fruit crops. In 2022, the value of fresh apple exports was $51.3 million Canadian dollars.
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• -  In 2024, there were 43,700 acres of cultivated area for apple production in Canada.
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• -  The CFIA will register cold treatment facilities in line with Mexico’s work plan for importing fresh apples from Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick under cold treatment. The Agency will assign a unique registration number to each approved cold treatment facility. Exporters are required to use one of these approved facilities when shipping apples to Mexico.
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• -  Growers who are interested in shipping apples to Mexico can contact their local CFIA office. 

Source:  Canadian Food Inspection Agency February 17, 2026 news release