Angelica Enciso L.
Newspaper La Jornada
Tuesday, February 8, 2022, p. eleven
Mexico has become the main importer of corn in the world, since of the total national consumption, which is almost 45 million tons per year, between 27 and 28 million tons are produced in the country, the rest is imported. It is estimated that foreign purchases of corn in 2021 will close at 17.5 million tons, said Luis Fernando Haro, director of the National Agricultural Council.
He added that the planting area for all types of crops has decreased in the country, since it went from 22 million hectares in 2014 to 18 million in 2020, almost 4 million less. This is due in part to climate change, since there have been years of drought, and to public policy. Only the budget of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Sader) in three years fell 40 percent, he said in an interview.
Regarding corn, he said that only in 2021, 39.1 percent of national consumption was covered by imports in response to demand, especially livestock. There is concern in the national production, it has not grown in areas, it has decreased in others. People are becoming more dependent, there is a surplus in white corn, but in yellow, purchases will be record
he added.
In total, imports of grains and oilseeds will end with a record 38.7 million tons, 10.8 percent more than in 2020, and the value will have an increase of 56.4 percent, 15 billion dollars indicates the CNA.
He added that in less than a year, fertilizers became more than 100 percent more expensive. The cost of production grows and producers limit the use of the recommended doses due to the rise in costs and this affects the yield.
The surplus of the agri-food balance in 2020 was more than 20 billion dollars, but given the record in imports it will fall to about 8 billion dollars; Exports did not fall, but purchases abroad did grow, there is more and more dependence.
In Sader, support for marketing, the target income, the issue of coverage, and national producers compete with those from other countries that do receive official support, have been eliminated, he explained.
Agriculture must be considered strategic. It is delicate to depend heavily on other countries.
