Jan 9 (Reuters) -

Automotive production in Mexico is expected to grow around 8% in 2024 to top 4,100,000 vehicles produced, industry group AMIA said on Tuesday.

"We have really a really positive outlook on this year," AMIA head Odracir Barquera said in a press conference, adding a boost in production was expected from electric vehicles.

Mexico saw auto production grow 14% in 2023, according to data released earlier in the day from national statistics agency INEGI.

Exports, meanwhile, climbed 15% in 2023, according to INEGI data.

"For both sales and exports we're also expecting the trend of positive growth we've seen (in 2023) to continue," Barquera added.

Domestic auto sales grew 24% in the year, INEGI said. Auto distributor group AMDA said it expected sales to edge up nearly 7% in 2024 to top 1.45 million units.

However, slowdowns at customs are affecting the industry's ability to get goods in and out of the country, AMDA head Guillermo Rosales said.

"We have to work with the federal government to modernize customs processes and port operations," Rosales said.

In recent years, the administration of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has handed over customs and port duties to the armed forces. (Reporting by Kylie Madry and Natalia Siniawski Editing by Marguerita Choy)