The US market absorbs 78% of Mexican shipments, which could be harmed if tariffs of 25% are applied next month.

Mexico exported iron and steel products and their manufactures for a value of 13.383 billion dollars and 78.1% of those shipments went to the United States, according to data from the Mexican Ministry of Economy and the U.S. Department of Commerce. 

Of this total, Mexican exports of cast iron, iron and steel amounted to 3.543 billion dollars, 89.8% shipped to the U.S. market.

The rest, corresponding to iron and steel castings, totaled 9.840 billion dollars, with 73.8% sold to the United States.

The first group of these exports includes flat-rolled products, waste and scrap, and intermediate products of iron or non-alloy steel.

The second group includes constructions and their parts (for example: bridges and their parts, lock gates, towers, roofs, doors and windows); plates, bars, profiles, pipes and similar products prepared for construction; springs, leaf springs and their leaves; stoves, and seamless hollow sections.

On February 10 and 11, U.S. President Donald Trump issued proclamations eliminating all steel and aluminum tariff exemptions under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, including for Mexico and Canada.

As a result, Mexico and Canada could face 25% tariffs on their steel and aluminum imports to the United States beginning March 12, 2025, possibly in addition to the 25% tariffs that Trump plans to impose on both countries and that were paused for a month for negotiations until March 4.

If President Donald Trump maintains the 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports and the other tariffs on Canadian and Mexican products are added, the total tariff would reach 50%.

Next week, in meetings with his U.S. counterparts, Marcelo Ebrard, Secretary of Economy, will foreseeably request Mexico's exclusion from these steel and aluminum tariffs and from the general tariff.