Now Entering Nogales – Part I: Bigger, Better, Busier

“The bill aims to help put veterans to work at Arizona’s understaffed U.S. ports of entry and help shrink the staffing shortage,” adds Soberanes. Even so, she emphasizes there’s still a need for significant improvement in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s hiring process and in ensuring ports of entry are fully staffed.

A Tale of Two Border Towns
There has long been a healthy spirit of competition between Nogales and McAllen, the Southwest’s other highly trafficked border crossing nestled in Hidalgo County, Texas. Despite the competition and arguments over which port has higher volume or greater sales value, most produce professionals say the two ports enjoy a friendly rivalry.

Second to None
Up until a couple of years ago, Nogales comfortably held a century-long position as the primary port of entry for fresh produce from Mexico to the United States. Today, depending on who you ask or the figures you quote, Nogales and McAllen are neck and neck, jockeying for the top slot.

“Mariposa’s share of Mexican fresh produce imports has decreased,” observes Soberanes. “However, the data suggests that the relative change in Nogales’ port of entry’s position in comparison with Texas border ports of entry is not because of produce shipments being diverted.”

When it comes to trade volume, Soberanes says many factors come into play, including an uptick of produce production in central and southern Mexico, “at times [supported] by Texas investors,” she adds.