Borderlands Mexico is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week in Borderlands Mexico: Avocado imports generate $641M for US trucking, warehousing; GLS US expands parcel delivery network to Texas border market and Jetco expands heavy-haul operations to serve Gulf Coast industrial boom.
Avocado imports generate $641M for US trucking, warehousing
Mexican Hass avocado imports generated an estimated $641.5 million in U.S. transportation and warehousing activity and supported more than 4,150 jobs in fiscal year 2025-26.
The findings by Texas A&M University researchers highlight the growing importance of cross-border trucking, refrigerated transportation and distribution networks connecting Mexican agricultural producers with U.S. consumers.
The report, The U.S. Economic Contributions of Hass Avocado Imports from Mexico, was prepared by Gary W. Williams, an emeritus professor in Texas A&M’s Department of Agricultural Economics, and Dan Hanselka, an extension program specialist.
Nearly 98% of Mexican avocados entering the U.S. in 2024 were transported by truck through Texas land ports, primarily through Pharr and Laredo.
The analysis, released Wednesday by the Avocado Institute of Mexico, estimated that Mexican Hass avocado imports generated $7.1 billion in total U.S. economic output and supported 37,163 jobs across multiple industries during the fiscal year ending June 2026.
Texas plays a central role in transporting Mexican avocados to U.S. markets.
According to USDA data cited in the Texas A&M report, the Pharr border crossing handled approximately 58.2% of Mexican avocado imports in 2024, while Laredo accounted for another 39.4%.
Once shipments clear the border, avocados move through an extensive network of trucking companies, refrigerated warehouses, wholesalers, distribution centers and food processors before reaching grocery stores, restaurants and other customers nationwide.
The report found that avocado shipments generate additional economic activity through purchases of fuel, equipment, transportation services, repairs and other logistics-related services.
The economic contributions extend beyond companies directly transporting the fruit, supporting businesses throughout interconnected supply chains.
In Texas alone, an estimated $245.1 million in Mexican Hass avocado imports generated $428.9 million in economic output, contributed $265.5 million to the state’s gross domestic product and supported 2,402 jobs across industries.
The study estimated that California, the nation’s largest avocado-consuming state, generated $968.2 million in economic output and supported 5,325 jobs associated with Mexican avocado imports.
Together, Texas and California accounted for only 19% to 22% of the national economic contributions measured in the study, demonstrating how the supply chain extends throughout the country.
The Texas A&M analysis also found that $3.2 billion in Mexican Hass avocado imports during fiscal year 2025/26 contributed an estimated $4.4 billion to U.S. GDP.
The imports also supported $2.4 billion in labor income and generated approximately $1 billion in federal, state and local taxes.
“This report demonstrates the value of a deeply integrated North American supply chain built over decades between Mexico and the U.S.,” said Ron Campbell, executive director of the Mexican Hass Avocado Import Association, in a statement.
“Mexican avocados don’t simply cross the border, they generate economic activity throughout the U.S. economy, supporting transportation and distribution networks, retailers, restaurants and communities across the country.”
GLS US expands parcel delivery network to Texas border market
Regional parcel delivery provider GLS US has expanded its services into El Paso, Texas, strengthening its shipping network across the Western U.S and adding another market along the U.S.–Mexico border.
The expansion, announced Oct. 20, gives businesses in West Texas access to first-, middle- and final-mile delivery services. The new location also can determine international shipping capabilities and parcel transportation for shipments weighing up to 150 pounds.
El Paso is a major U.S.–Mexico trade gateway, supported by manufacturing, distribution and cross-border commerce with neighboring Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
GLS said its expanded network will serve manufacturers, distributors, retailers and e-commerce businesses seeking improved shipping connectivity throughout Texas and the Western U.S.
The move into El Paso follows GLS US’s expansion into Houston, Austin and San Antonio earlier this year, after entering the Dallas-Fort Worth market in 2025.
GLS US is part of GLS Group, a European parcel delivery company operating in more than 50 countries and handling more than 900 million parcels annually.
Jetco expands heavy-haul operations to serve Gulf Coast boom
Houston-based trucking and logistics provider Jetco has launched a specialized cargo division aimed at growing demand for heavy-haul transportation tied to data centers, power generation, manufacturing and infrastructure projects along the Gulf Coast.
The division combines Jetco’s existing heavy-haul operations, established in 2008, with its expanding freight brokerage business to handle oversized, overweight and over-dimensional cargo.
“Three years ago, we started positioning ourselves to capitalize on the accelerated growth of domestic power, manufacturing, and infrastructure, specifically data centers,” Jetco President Kyle Kristynik said in a statement.
The company has added four specialized trailers this year, including two Faymonville multimax trailers capable of hauling 125,000 pounds each, a Goldhofer trailer rated for 180,000 pounds and a Fontaine hydraulic removable gooseneck trailer with a 55-ton capacity in a 16-foot footprint.
Jetco said the division will combine its own trucks and trailers with prequalified third-party carriers to manage complex industrial shipments.
The company also plans to collaborate with Canadian sister companies Precision Specialized and Scott Woods Transport to support specialized, heavy-haul and out-of-gauge freight movements.
Jetco, which is part of Canadian transportation company The GTI Group, operates from its Houston headquarters and maintains facilities in Pasadena, Freeport and Dallas, Texas.
Why it matters: The report “The U.S. Economic Contributions of Hass Avocado Imports from Mexico,” highlights how Mexican agricultural imports sustain U.S. trucking jobs, refrigerated distribution networks and freight activity far beyond the border.
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