The presentation of Agri-Food Panorama 2025 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Sader) shows solidity in terms of production and foreign trade, but faces a series of structural challenges that threaten the stability of the Mexican countryside, especially due to climatic and economic adversity, specialists warned.
Teacher Lina Paul, representative of the FAO in Mexicowas emphatic in pointing out that “The panorama does not evade the challenges. The drought, the pressure on water, the volatility of prices, the social gaps are still present.” As an example, he cited that in 2024 “the production of white corn was significantly reduced due to the lower availability of water, with severe impacts on key states like Sinaloa“.
This climate vulnerability adds to an extremely complex market situation. Julio BerdegueSecretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, pointed out that “this year we are facing a historic price crisis. All prices are very low, very low. International”, which puts producers in a complex situation that the government addresses with “measures, concrete practices and resources, not with demagoguery.”
Despite the difficulties, the commercial health of the agri-food sector remains in positive numbers. The agri-food trade balance remains in surplus, a fact that, according to Professor Paul, occurs “for the tenth consecutive year.”
Jorge Domínguez of SIAP explained that this continuity “gives us proof that it is a strong and resilient sector.” In the most recent measurement, the sector has “a surplus balance of 3,668 million dollars as of October,” said Berdegué.
He highlighted that exports They have stayed afloat thanks to key products that give Mexico a leading position in international markets.
Among those that maintain this positive balance, beer, avocado, berries, tomatoes, tequila and beef were mentioned. On an optimistic note, Secretary Berdegué concluded that, despite the pessimists and the effects of the drought, “the Agricultural GDP…grew 3.1% in real terms so far this year, compared to the previous year”, demonstrating that the field, with all its challenges, remains standing.
