Corn production in Mexico is down 40% this year. The National Union of Agricultural Workers (UNTA) denounced this Wednesday that the decline is due to the severe drought in the country and the lack of support from the government. The association has stated that nearly six out of 10 grains consumed in Mexico come from other countries, although data released in October by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) reduces that number.
UNTA has warned that the collapse of corn production in 2023 has led to a food deficit in Mexico. The organization's Secretary General, Álvaro López, has directly pointed out to the federal government that it has cut the budget for aid and support for farmers. “The most serious factor is the lack of protection measures and programs that help promote production and productivity in a sector that is crucial to the country's food production,” he explained.
Farmers have valued imported corn at $40,000 million (677,064 Mexican pesos) and estimate that it accounts for 56% of the foreign grain consumed in the country. “It is very serious that today we are a more dependent country after offering to work to achieve self-sufficiency and food sovereignty,” López denounced.
Álvaro López in a rain-damaged corn field in the state of Mexico, December 20th. Gladys Serrano
Mexico has increased corn imports in recent years. However, the UNTA numbers do not match those released by the USDA in October. The US department calculated that of the 45 million tons of corn consumed in Mexico between September 2022 and the same month this year, only 40% came from another country.
The production of staple foods by Mexican households, which accounts for almost 15% of total agricultural GDP, has also been affected by the severe drought that has affected 70% of the territory. The price of fertilizer is also having an impact, with farmers paying more because of sanctions against Russia, the world's second-largest producer after China. Added to this is the blackmail of farmers by organized crime.
Mexican farmworkers are looking inward to change the situation. “I hope that the next government will take measures, restore programs or create new ones that will allow a punished and victimized sector such as rural areas to recover in its production and economy,” said the Secretary General of UNTA.
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