Corn Crisis in Jalisco: Struggles, Protests, and Calls for Action

Over 100,000ha of corn fields in Jalisco remain unplanted due to a combination of factors including falling international grain prices and severe drought, according to the Agri-Food Council of Jalisco (CAJ). As farmers protest for fair prices and support, urgent action is needed to address the challenges facing the state's agriculture sector.

Drought has led to impacts in 123 out of 125 municipalities of Jalisco, with 76 facing extreme drought, according to the National Water Commission (CONAGUA). By February, 300,000ha of corn with varying degrees of damage, along with 6,000ha of beans, were reported, affecting around 60,000 local producers according to Enrique Alfaro, Governor, Jalisco.

Roberto De Alba, President, CAJ, emphasized that a challenging production season is anticipated for the remaining part of the year. The agricultural leader underscored that the impacts of the El Niño phenomenon may lead to delays in planting essential crops. Additionally, given the global price volatility, it is expected that a significant portion of land will remain unproductive, further impacting corn and wheat production.

Toward the end of April, dozens of regional corn producers staged a protest in the premises of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER), demanding a better price per ton of grain. According to De Alba, the challenge lies in reducing production costs and reaching an agreement with the industry as was done in Sinaloa to achieve the best possible price. "Otherwise, a lot of corn will cease to be planted because it is not profitable to do so at the moment," he noted.

In this context, a meeting was convened between producers, the federal government, and the state government, during which a list of demands was presented to the authorities. Some of the key demands include fair prices for grain sales, regulation of white maize imports, subsidies for agricultural insurance, as well as for inputs and fertilizers, tax exemptions, and provision of water for agricultural activities.

"During our meeting with Víctor Villalobos, Minister of Agriculture, he assured us that the scheme announced for Sinaloa, which involves government support of MX$950/t (US$56.2/ton), will also be applicable to corn production in Jalisco," stated De Alba. During the meeting, CAJ pointed out that out of the MX$950/t support, MX$200 would be allocated for price coverage, while MX$750 would serve as direct support to the corn price.

Jalisco’s Minister of Agriculture expressed its support for corn farmers and, in collaboration with federal authorities, they developed a plan to address the demands outlined in the producers' petition. Regarding the fair price requested, with a base of MX$6,950/t, it was agreed for a request to be submitted to the federal government and to Mexican Food Security (SEGALMEX) for further review.