The United States, Mexico’s main trading partner, has spoken out against the plan by the administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to phase out the transgenic corn and has warned about the repercussions that it may have for the exports of its grain producers.
“The concerns of the United States government have been heard,” the Mexican presidency said in a statement after a meeting in Washington of delegations from both countries.
“It was agreed to continue constructive talks so that in January a mutual understanding can be consolidated that gives legal certainty to all parties,” he added.
Mexico this month offered the United States a one-year extension, to 2025, of the deadline to start a ban on genetically modified corn and is working on a proposal to modify a decree in this regard.
On November 29, the President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, said that his government is looking for a solution to the dispute over transgenic corn with the United States, although he acknowledged that if it does not reach it, there are panels that can be resorted to to resolve it.
After meeting with US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, AMLO warned that Washington could resort to the North American Free Trade Agreement over Mexico’s decision to phase out the use of GM corn by 2024.
“We are not in a closed position,” López Obrador said.
With information from Reuters
